The White House on Monday reaffirmed the strength of India-US relations, calling India a “strategic ally” in the Indo-Pacific region, and confirmed that a major trade agreement between the two nations is nearing completion.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, addressing a press briefing, stated that President Donald Trump maintains a “very good relationship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and that both countries are in the final stages of negotiating the trade deal. “You’ll hear from the President and his trade team very soon when it comes to India,” she added.
Leavitt also emphasized India’s critical role in the Indo-Pacific strategy, especially amid concerns over China’s growing assertiveness. “India remains a very strategic ally in the Asia Pacific,” she said in response to a question about China’s influence in the region.
Her remarks coincide with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s ongoing visit to the United States to participate in the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which includes Australia, India, Japan, and the US. The QUAD alliance, originally formed in the wake of the 2004 tsunami, now plays a vital role in ensuring a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.
Meanwhile, President Trump has also accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to attend the upcoming QUAD Summit in New Delhi, confirmed Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. “President Trump said he is excited to come to India,” Misri noted in a video message released on June 18.
The developments mark a significant boost in diplomatic and strategic coordination between the world’s two largest democracies.
