New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- The US and India are "very, very close" to finalising a bilateral trade deal, with only "a small number of items left to wrap up", US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Tuesday, as he used a meeting with external affairs minister S Jaishankar to urge New Delhi to increase energy trade and step up purchases of American technologies and systems. "I would say we're about as close as you can be without having an executed agreement. I think there's a small number of items left to wrap up. So I think that will happen shortly -- we're hoping, which it should -- and hopefully have some good news to announce fairly soon. And perhaps the leaders can sign it thereafter," Rubio told the media. The two sides reviewed their bilateral cooperation, with the focus on energy and defence. Jaishankar and Rubio, who travelled to India for the second time in less than five months with a large business delegation, met in Mumbai, the country's financial hub, against the backdrop of persisting strains in bilateral ties over a range of issues, including the Trump administration's unpredictable trade policies, enhanced immigration restrictions affecting Indian professionals and the US's growing proximity to Pakistan's military leadership. At a reception later in the evening, Rubio hailed the partnership between India and the US as one that would shape the century. "I truly believe the relationship between the United States and India is defining in many ways, in a positive way, what the 21st century can look like," he said. After the meeting with Rubio, Jaishankar said on social media that they discussed ways to further advance "our ties, focusing on trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people ties", and exchanged views on regional developments....