The United States and India are on the cusp of finalising a long-awaited bilateral trade agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump announced during a high-profile meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 summit in Evian, France. Signaling massive progress in the long-running negotiations, Trump told reporters that the two economic powerhouses are “very close” to securing an interim pact, which aims to aggressively resolve ongoing market access disputes and eliminate tariff headaches that have weighed on market sentiment for months. In his characteristically colorful remarks, the American president lavishly praised his longtime counterpart, describing Modi as a close friend but an exceptionally fierce adversary at the corporate table. “He’s a very tough negotiator, one of the toughest, actually,” Trump remarked, adding with a touch of humor that while Modi looks “like an angel,” he operates as a relentless, highly calculated “killer” when fighting for the interests of the Indian people.
The breakthrough comes at a critical time as Washington and New Delhi push to expand their bilateral trade envelope to a staggering $500 billion by 2030. According to a formal readout from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, both leaders expressed deep satisfaction with the structural advancements made toward the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), noting that roughly 99% of the foundational framework is already complete. The momentum will accelerate further next week when U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer travels to India to iron out minor outstanding regulatory points before Washington’s temporary 10% blanket tariff regime expires on July 24. Beyond commerce, the bilateral talks veered into crucial geopolitical territory. Prime Minister Modi commended Trump’s diplomatic role in orchestrating the recent U.S.-Iran peace framework, while strongly urging the U.S. administration to prioritize the safety of thousands of Indian seafarers navigating global shipping lanes. Reaffirming Washington’s deep geopolitical commitment, Trump emphasized that India retains an unwavering ally in the White House, even promising immediate military cooperation should the South Asian nation ever face an external attack
