Trump, PM Modi bilateral meeting in France on June 17; to review trade deal: White House

Washington : US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France next week, during which both leaders are expected to review progress in negotiations on a proposed India-US trade agreement, a senior administration official confirmed on Saturday.

The White House said Saturday that Trump will meet PM Modi on Wednesday, June 17, during the G-7 Summit in Evian, France, as part of a series of engagements with world leaders. The meeting comes as Washington and New Delhi continue negotiations on what could become the first formal trade agreement between the two countries.

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

A senior administration official said the proposed trade deal would likely feature prominently in the discussions between the two leaders, although officials do not expect a final agreement 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 Trump’s upcoming trip to France.

The official said the two countries had signed “a joint framework agreement earlier this year” and have been engaged in intensive negotiations over the past year as both sides seek to bridge differences and identify areas of mutual benefit.

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

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would travel to India during the week of June 22 for follow-up meetings aimed at advancing negotiations on the proposed trade agreement, said the official who spoke with reporters ahead of the presidential travel next week.

The visit is expected to build on recent discussions and help determine whether remaining differences can be narrowed in the coming weeks.

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

“We think that the US and India are natural economic partners and can add a lot to each other,” the official said.

The official pointed to sectors where Washington sees opportunities for greater commercial engagement, saying: “There’s a lot the United States should be selling to India in terms of energy, industrial products, certain agricultural products.”

The official also linked the trade negotiations to the broader trajectory of the bilateral relationship.

“We know that Prime Minister Modi is quite ambitious about the role he sees for India, the importance of the US-India relationship. We think a potential trade deal is part of that,” the official said.

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

“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 nevertheless provide an opportunity for Trump and Modi to assess the state of the 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.

Beyond the India meeting, Trump is scheduled to participate in a series of sessions focused on economic growth, international investment partnerships, supply chain resilience and artificial intelligence. The White House said the President would seek to advance what it described as mutually beneficial investment partnerships while promoting innovation and economic growth.

According to the White House, Trump will meet several world leaders during the summit, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and the leaders of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The summit agenda also includes discussions on critical mineral supply chains, energy security and emerging technologies.

The administration said Trump intends to use the gathering to promote economic growth, strengthen supply chain resilience and encourage wider adoption of artificial intelligence technologies. Officials also highlighted efforts to expand cooperation with partners on investment and development initiatives.

IANS