PM Modi-President Trump to meet in France: White House

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet during the G7 summit in France, according to senior White House officials. The meeting is anticipated to include discussions on a potential trade deal between the two nations.

Senior U.S. officials indicated that while a final trade agreement is not expected to be concluded at the summit, extensive technical discussions will occur. These talks follow a joint framework agreement signed earlier this year and intensive negotiations over the past year, including a recent visit by a U.S. team to India.

“

I think that the potential trade deal will come up. We signed a joint framework agreement earlier this year. We've been having quite intensive negotiations with the Indians over the past year. The United States had a team in India a few weeks ago.

"We have free good conversations with them," one official stated, adding that further progress on the deal would be pursued during upcoming travel to India. The official noted the historical lack of a trade deal between the U.S. and India, citing differing economic functions and data approaches that complicate business for American companies in India.

“

We have free good conversations with them. I'll personally be traveling to India the following week to see if we can make further progress on the deal.

Despite the expectation that the deal will not be finalized at the G7, leaders will have a valuable opportunity to connect and assess the path forward. Prime Minister Modi is in France for an official visit from June 13-14 and June 16-19, also including a state visit to Slovakia.

Previously, on February 2, Trump announced a trade deal where India would reduce tariffs on U.S. products and purchase over $500 billion in U.S. energy, technology, agricultural, and coal products. Trump also stated that Modi agreed to cease buying Russian oil and increase purchases from the United States and potentially Venezuela.

“

I don't think we'll close that deal at the G7. I think we have further technical discussions to accomplish, but 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.