India-US interim trade deal in final stages after PM Modi, Trump push: Foreign secy

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday said India and the United States are in the "final stages" of concluding an interim bilateral trade agreement, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump directing officials to complete the deal at the earliest.

Speaking at a briefing after Prime Minister Modi's visit to the G7 Summit in Evian, France, Misri said substantial progress has already been made in negotiations and highlighted the upcoming visit of US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to advance discussions.

"With the United States, we have made significant progress already on the conclusion of an interim free trade bilateral trade agreement. We are in the final stages of concluding that agreement.

Next week, in fact, the United States Trade Representative, Mr Jamieson Greer, will be visiting India to take forward these discussions. In the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister and President Donald Trump yesterday in Evian, this was a major subject of discussion. Both leaders once again gave instructions for this agreement to be concluded at the earliest possible," Misri said.

The proposed trade agreement figured prominently in the discussions between PM Modi and Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit on Wednesday. Trump said the two countries were "very close" to finalising the trade deal.

"We had, in particular, some very good conversations with Prime Minister Modi, India. And we're doing trade deals, we're doing a lot of things, a lot of things are happening between the United States and India," Trump said.

The US President also praised PM Modi's role in encouraging investment in the United States.

"Prime Minister is building a lot in the United States. He's spending a lot of money in the United States. So we appreciate that job," Trump said.

Earlier this week, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said Greer would visit India on June 22 to help finalise the framework of the interim bilateral trade agreement.

"USTR is coming on the evening of June 22nd. On 23-24 June, he will be engaging with our Minister for Commerce and Industry. We expect that discussions will be centred around giving final touches to the framework deal and also on the larger BTA that has been under discussion between the two sides," Agrawal said.

Greer's visit comes as India continues discussions with the United States over proposed tariff measures under the Section 301 proceedings while simultaneously working to finalise a broader bilateral trade framework agreement.

Agrawal said the proposed trade pact would address a wide range of issues in the bilateral economic relationship.

"As far as the trade deal is concerned, I think the trade deal covers the entire gamut of trade relationship between India and the US, so definitely, whenever we finalise and sign the deal, I think they try to have clear answers on the 301 investigations," he said.

Beyond trade, PM Modi and Trump reviewed progress under the India-US COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology), which was launched following their meeting in Washington, DC, in February 2025. The two leaders welcomed developments in defence cooperation, strategic technologies, energy, and bilateral trade.

According to the joint statement, Prime Minister Modi and President Trump reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and expanding cooperation across sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries and their people.

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