President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the US and India are nearly ready to sign a trade deal. "Pretty close, yeah," he told reporters.

"It's going to be a much different kind of deal than we've done," Trump said, without explaining what would make it different.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Mumbai for talks with S. Jaishankar, said the two sides were "about as close as you can be" without a signed agreement.

Rubio said only a few items were left and he hoped for "good news to announce soon," after which the two leaders could sign.

He also pressed India to buy more American energy and defence equipment, calling India a "refining superpower" and offering Venezuelan crude as an option.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said last week that the deal was almost final and only legal vetting remained, The Times of India reported.

The two countries agreed a framework for the first phase of the deal in February. Changes in US tariff policy then sent them back to the table.

Indian exporters still pay extra US duties, and the final deal will decide how much of that burden is lifted.

Read the full article for more on the India-US trade deal talks.