India, US very close to trade deal, need to get over ‘last hurdle’, says top US official

India and the US are close to signing a trade deal, with the US Deputy Secretary stating that both countries need to get over the "last hurdle". The two nations have been negotiating for months and are poised to achieve significant economic development, with India expected to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. India is seeking preferential access to the US markets as part of the agreement, aiming to achieve bilateral trade of USD 500 billion by 2030.