India-US trade deal: India hopes to reach understanding which strikes 'right balance'

India has been engaging with the US for quite some time, and we do hope to reach an understanding with an outcome that strikes the right balance for both sides, said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, while answering a question on India-US trade deal during the weekly press briefing here on Thursday.

"We have been engaging with the US for quite some time. We do hope to reach an understanding with an outcome that strikes the right balance for both sides. We would not like to rush into a deal as issues involved are complicated. We don't want to create an artificial deadline. For us the interests of people are paramount," said Kumar.

Regarding the H1B Visa issue, he said: "We have remained engaged with administration and (US) Congress on the movement of Indian professionals. The matter is very important to us. We do expect that the movement of Indian professionals is part of the agenda that could come up for discussions."

Speaking about the upcoming trip of US President Donald Trump, the MEA spokesperson expressed the hope that the visit will go on smoothly and India's sensitivities are well known.

Kumar also highlighted the "strong" India-US cooperation regarding counter-terrorism and referred to the "strong support" by Washington in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack.

The MEA spokesperson noted that there has been consistent growth in India-US trade over the last few years while adding that efforts have been made by the Indian side to address concerns regarding the Balance of Trade.

The US President Donald Trump will be arriving in India on February 24 for a two-day official visit.