US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a good friend and expressed confidence that Washington and New Delhi will reach a trade agreement. His comments came after four days of negotiations in New Delhi.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on June 4, Trump said he likes Modi a lot. 'He is a good friend of mine, and we get along well. We have a good relationship,' he said. Trump added that the two sides will get to a deal. Trump also noted past trade issues. He said India had charged tremendous tariffs on American goods for years but that the situation has now reversed. 'Now it is the exact reverse and we are making a lot of money with India,' Trump stated. Officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative held talks in New Delhi from June 1 to June 4. The discussions covered trade in goods, customs procedures, non-tariff barriers, trade facilitation and economic security cooperation. Both sides described the talks as productive and said work continues on an interim agreement. A separate US review of tariffs on imports linked to forced labour includes India among 60 economies. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the measures aim to ensure fair conditions for American workers.