India, Sept. 29 -- A trade agreement between India and the US, if concluded, would contribute to "better" bilateral ties, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, noting that expectations of rapid progress in negotiations had been "tested" against a much more complex ground reality.

Jaishankar addressed prominent members of the Indian-American and diaspora community as well as policy experts on Monday at a special conversation hosted by the Asia Society, as the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly concluded in New York.

During a conversation moderated by former American diplomat and distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute Daniel Russel, Jaishankar was asked about India-US relations, partic...