Sunil Bharti Mittal hopeful of India-US trade deal in coming weeks
New Delhi, July 1
Bharti Enterprises Founder and Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal expressed optimism over the ongoing India-US trade negotiations, saying he hopes the two countries will conclude a long-awaited trade agreement within the next few weeks.
Speaking at the IX Leadership Summit of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), where he was honoured with the 2026 Leadership Award, Mittal directly addressed United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and underscored the importance of the proposed trade pact for industry.
"I'm hoping Secretary Lutnick that if not in days, but in a few weeks, that India and the US will have a trade deal that we in the industry have been looking forward to," Mittal said.
Highlighting the broader strategic relationship between New Delhi and Washington, Mittal described the nearly five-million-strong Indian diaspora in the United States as a key pillar of bilateral cooperation.
"Indian diaspora of nearly five million people, largest anywhere in the world, has a beautiful bridge between India and US, helping the strategic relationship develop between the two nations, be that trade, defence, or indeed higher technologies," he said.
USISPF conferred the 2026 Leadership Award on Mittal in recognition of his contribution to transforming India's telecommunications sector and advancing economic ties between India and North America.
The forum honoured three global business leaders during its IX Leadership Summit for their contributions to strengthening the India-US commercial partnership. In a video message played during the event, Mittal thanked USISPF for the recognition and stressed the growing strategic alignment between the two countries.
Praising the forum's efforts in deepening economic engagement, Mittal also referred to the celebrations marking 250 years of American independence.
"How much I wish that I would have been amongst you today on this very special occasion of USISPF holding this very special day celebrating 250 years of US freedom," he said.
Besides Mittal, USISPF presented the 2026 Leadership Award to V. Prem Watsa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial, and Christopher T. Calio, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RTX Corporation, for their leadership and contributions to strengthening the India-US economic corridor.
"I personally believe that the work that USISPF has been doing under Mukesh and John should be truly cherished and celebrated. Today they honor some of us with a very special leadership award. And I also take this occasion of congratulating Chris and Prem, who are my fellow awardees today," Mittal added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian-American, I see the diaspora's role in bridging our two nations every day. This trade deal could be a game-changer for tech and innovation. Let's hope the talks move quickly!
Honestly, after years of ups and downs in India-US ties, I'm cautiously optimistic. Mittal is right that the diaspora is our soft power. But we need to ensure the deal protects Indian interests too, especially on data and tariffs.
So many awards being handed out at these summits! While Mittal deserves the recognition, I hope this isn't just another photo-op. The real test will be when common Indians see the benefits in their daily lives. ☕
Mittal's vision for the telecom sector has been transformative. If he's this confident about the trade deal, I'm willing to believe it's coming. The diaspora angle is clever - we're literally building the bridge!
While this is exciting for big business, I worry about India's manufacturing sector. Will the trade deal open floodgates for American goods? We need a balanced approach that doesn't hurt our local industries. 🤔
Great to see the US-India partnership strengthening. I work in the tech sector, and
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