Donald Trump signalled a pathway to progress with both sides channelling their best efforts to give final touches to a long-pending trade deal, according to a leading India-US business advocate.
Modi and Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains on Wednesday, amid efforts to repair the bilateral relationship that had undergone significant strain over the past year.
Mukesh Aghi, president of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), said the overall tone of the meeting was positive and reflected efforts by both countries to advance key areas of cooperation.
The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President
The overarching tone remains positive that both Washington and New Delhi are channelling their best efforts to negotiate the "final touches” of the trade deal, he said.
The proposed trade pact has undergone multiple rounds of negotiations at the ministerial and bureaucratic levels over the past year.
Aghi said Trump has also agreed to visit India in the near future, which was a positive sign after the Quad meeting in New Delhi was restricted to the Foreign Minister's level.
He said defence remains a key issue, given the priorities of the Indo-Pacific for both the US and India.
“Both democracies underscore freedom of navigation, after the unfortunate attack on Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman,” he said.
Three Indian crew members of a merchant ship were killed in American military strikes in the Gulf of Oman a few days ago.
Referring to the US-Iran peace agreement, Aghi said the deal is vital for India's energy security, the welfare of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf region and the restoration of global supply chains affected by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
