Trump, Modi To Meet June 17 As Trade Talks Advance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, on June 17, with both leaders expected to review progress in negotiations on a proposed India-U.S. trade agreement, a senior White House official said.

The meeting will be the first bilateral engagement between the two leaders since Operation Sindoor last year, which marked a significant development in South Asia’s regional security landscape.

A senior administration official said the proposed trade agreement is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, although a final deal is not expected to be concluded during the summit.

“I think that the potential trade deal will come up,” the official said during a White House briefing on President Trump’s upcoming trip to France.

The official said the two countries signed a joint framework agreement earlier this year and have been engaged in intensive negotiations over the past year.

“We’ve been having quite intensive negotiations with the Indians over the past year,” the official said, adding that a U.S. delegation travelled to India several weeks ago and discussions remain active at multiple levels.

The White House official also said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will travel to India during the week of June 22 for follow-up meetings aimed at advancing negotiations on the proposed trade agreement.

While expressing optimism about the talks, the official cautioned that substantial work remains before an agreement can be finalized.

“President Trump’s approach always is we won’t have a deal unless it’s a very good deal. We think a very good deal is possible. I don’t think we’ll close that deal at the G7. I think we have further technical discussions to accomplish,” the official said.

The official said the summit would provide an opportunity for Trump and Modi to assess the state of negotiations and determine the next steps.

“I think that the leaders will have a good opportunity to touch base and take stock of where we are and how forward leaning they want to be in closing a deal in coming weeks,” the official said.

The administration described India and the United States as increasingly important economic partners with significant untapped potential.

“We think that the U.S. and India are natural economic partners and can add a lot to each other,” the official said. (IANS)