India, Oct. 25 -- 'The fact that the US says the deal is close does not mean India has agreed to sign it in its present form. The outstanding concerns have to be addressed first,' said a source aware of the discussions.

Despite repeated assurances from the United States that a bilateral trade agreement with India is close to completion, the deal is unlikely to be signed in its present form unless New Delhi's outstanding concerns are addressed, sources aware of the matter and involved in the discussions have said.

"Look at the issue at a macro level. The US has been making claims for several months that the deal is close to being signed, but the reality is that the agreement remains stuck," a source involved in the discussions said.

The...