Will PM Modi, Trump Discuss India-US Trade Deal In France? US Says Talks Will Focus On Economic Ties

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Last Updated:June 14, 2026, 09:29 IST

PM Modi and Trump meet comes at a time when India and US are also facing differences over recent American missile strikes on India-linked commercial vessels in Strait of Hormuz.

 Reuters/File)

Modi, Trump Likely To Discuss Trade Deal at G7 Summit in Freance. (Photo: Reuters/File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are expected to discuss a possible trade agreement when they meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, according to senior US officials.

The meeting, likely to take place during the June 16-17 summit in Evian-les-Bains, eastern France, will mark the first face-to-face interaction between the two leaders since their meeting in Washington in February 2025.

The expected meet comes at a time when India and the United States are also facing differences over recent American missile strikes on India-linked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. One of those attacks, on June 10, resulted in the deaths of three Indian seafarers.

Trade deal expected to come up

Speaking ahead of the summit, senior US officials indicated that trade negotiations would be a key topic during discussions between Modi and Trump. “I think that the potential trade deal will come up," a senior US official said.

The official noted that both countries had signed a joint framework agreement earlier this year and had been engaged in intensive negotiations over the past year.

According to the official, a US team visited India a few weeks ago and discussions between the two sides have continued regularly. However, while trade will be discussed, no agreement is expected to be finalised during the G7 summit.

US trade representative to visit India

Reuters, citing a senior US administration official, reported that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is expected to travel to India the week after the summit for further discussions.

The official said the visit would focus on making additional progress towards a possible trade agreement.

“We think a very good deal is possible. I don’t think we’ll close that deal at the G7," the official told reporters, according to Reuters.

The official added that technical discussions were still required before any final agreement could be reached.

Focus on economic partnership

US officials described India and the United States as natural economic partners with significant opportunities for cooperation.

They said there remained substantial scope for expanding trade in areas such as energy, industrial products and certain agricultural goods.

At the same time, the official acknowledged that some aspects of India’s economic framework create challenges for American companies operating in the country. “There are a lot of approaches to the economy in India that make it difficult for our companies to do business, so we are trying to work through some of those," the official said.

The official also referred to Prime Minister Modi’s ambitions for India’s global role and the importance both countries attach to 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.

PM Modi-Trump to review trade deal progress

According to US officials, the summit meeting will provide an opportunity for both leaders to assess the progress made so far and consider the next steps in the negotiations. “President Trump’s approach is always that we won’t have a deal unless it’s a very good deal," the official said.

While a final agreement is not expected in France, officials said PM Modi and Trump would use the meeting to take stock of ongoing negotiations and discuss how quickly the two sides want to move towards concluding a trade deal in the coming weeks.

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Shuddhanta Patra

Shuddhanta Patra

Shuddhanta Patra, a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience, serves as Senior Sub‑Editor at CNN News 18. With expertise across national politics, geopolitics, business news, she has influen...Read More

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