Modi speaks with Trump as India seeks interim deal with US

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump agreed to maintain close engagement to advance the countries’ strategic partnership, New Delhi said on Wednesday, as India’s trade minister holds talks in the United States aimed at securing an interim trade deal.

In a telephone conversation, Modi and Trump reviewed bilateral cooperation in trade, defence, energy and critical technologies, the Indian prime minister said in a post on X.

“We agreed to maintain close engagement to take our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership forward,” Modi wrote. “We also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including ongoing efforts to advance global peace and security.”

India’s Trade Minister Piyush Goyal is visiting the United States from September 29 to October 5 for talks on a proposed bilateral trade agreement and an interim arrangement.

Goyal is due to meet US counterparts as part of efforts to advance a “balanced and mutually beneficial” India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, New Delhi said earlier this week.

Goyal arrived in Milwaukee on Tuesday for a G20 trade ministers’ meeting and met chief executives and senior executives from US manufacturing and technology companies at a roundtable hosted by the National Association of Manufacturers, India’s trade ministry said.

He was also scheduled to attend a meeting of G20 trade ministers in Wisconsin at the invitation of US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

India and the United States have yet to reach agreement after months of negotiations, with New Delhi seeking improved terms in the proposed deal.

Earlier this month, India said it had told Washington that new US tariff measures linked to India’s purchases of Russian oil could affect bilateral relations.