India-US FTA pact negotiations in prospect, PM Modi to likely meet Trump next week

NEW DELHI : India and the US are expected to start negotiations for a free trade agreement in the coming weeks as Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is likely to travel to the US to meet President Donald Trump on February 12-14.

PM Modi will travel to France and co-chair the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris on February 10-11, is also expected to travel to Marseille on February 12. He is likely to travel to the US to meet President Trump from there. Reuters reported citing a White House official. The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the official visit, did not provide further details.

Donald Trump spoke with PM Modi over the phone on January 27. The US president discussed immigration and stressed the importance of India buying more American-made security equipment.

PM Modi wrote on X after the phone call that he congratulated his “dear friend” on his second term in office. “We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership. We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security,” he said.