India-US relationship stronger than ever: Trump team charts ambitious agenda (IANS Exclusive)

Washington, June 27 (IANS) Senior officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration have outlined an ambitious roadmap for expanding India-US ties, signalling that Washington is working towards a Presidential visit to India early next year, expects to conclude a bilateral trade agreement in the coming weeks or months, and sees New Delhi as one of its closest strategic partners.

In separate exclusive interviews with IANS at the White House, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described the relationship as stronger than ever, highlighting growing cooperation in trade, defence, energy, critical technologies and the Indo-Pacific.

Rubio said the administration was working towards Trump’s visit to India next year.

“I look forward to returning myself before the end of the year and setting up a presidential visit in the early parts of next year,” he said.

Asked if the visit would take place next year, Rubio replied: “We’re hoping. That’s what we’re working towards sometime early next year to have the President come.”

The Secretary of State also expressed optimism about the ongoing trade negotiations.

“We’re hoping to finalise a trade deal. We’re on the last inches of getting it done, and it’s very positive,” Rubio said.

Gor echoed that assessment, saying negotiators were now focused on completing the agreement.

“There’s a handful of issues that remain,” he said. “A lot of it now is on the language that ultimately both sides will sign.”

“We’re confident that over the next few weeks, over the next few months, it’ll get done.”

Both officials underscored the importance of the personal relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“India is such a close partner and ally of the United States, and the relationship between the Prime Minister and the President couldn’t be closer, which I think is really important in diplomacy,” Rubio said.

Gor described the relationship between the two leaders as “one of the big anchors” of India-US ties.

“The President and Prime Minister are great friends, and that’s something that goes back years ago, and it’s something that will continue to go years ahead,” he said.

He also praised PM Modi’s leadership, saying, “He is incredibly dynamic. He’s incredibly hands-on, and he’s results-driven.”

“In a way, I see a lot of similarities between him and President Trump, because they both love being hands-on and getting things done and accomplishing things fast.”

Rubio and Gor also pointed to the broadening scope of bilateral cooperation.

“I think we have so much aligned and in common that we can build and work on together our interests on economics, on supply chains, on critical minerals, on energy, on security, on freedom of navigation,” Rubio said.

“We’re aligned on so many things.”

Gor said the partnership had “limitless potential”, pointing to expanding collaboration in technology, defence, pharmaceuticals and investment.

“You can look at any sector in the United States, and India can work together and take that level up to the next level,” he said. “We do have limitless potential.”

The officials also highlighted growing economic engagement. Gor said the US Embassy in India had helped facilitate more than $20 billion in new investments into the United States in a year, while Rubio described India as “such a close partner and ally” as Washington prepared for another Quad meeting.

India and the United States have steadily deepened their strategic partnership over the past two decades, expanding cooperation across trade, defence, critical and emerging technologies, clean energy, education and maritime security. The two countries also work closely through the Quad, alongside Japan and Australia, to promote a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific.

Both Rubio and Gor, in their interviews with IANS, offered one of the clearest public indications yet of the Trump administration’s priorities for India, pointing to stronger political engagement, deeper economic integration and wider strategic cooperation as the next phase of the bilateral relationship.

–IANS

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