During a press briefing on Monday, June 30, 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized India’s significance as a key U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific region. She also noted the strong personal rapport between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In response to a question from ANI about China’s role in the Indo-Pacific, Leavitt stated, “India remains a very strategic ally in the Asia Pacific, and the President shares a strong relationship with Prime Minister Modi, which he intends to maintain.”

Leavitt’s comments came shortly after she addressed another ANI question regarding a potential trade agreement between India and the United States. She confirmed that the President’s recent statement about being close to a trade deal with India still holds true. “I just spoke with our Secretary of Commerce, who was in the Oval Office with the President. They are finalizing the agreements, and you’ll hear directly from the President and his trade team very soon regarding India,” she said.

These remarks follow President Trump’s recent expression of optimism about reaching a trade agreement with India. Addressing concerns about reciprocal tariffs, Trump stated that the U.S. is pushing for the elimination of trade barriers and improved access to the Indian market. However, he acknowledged that achieving such terms might be difficult. “India—we’re close to a deal where we can conduct open trade. At the moment, it’s heavily restricted. We’re aiming for a full removal of trade barriers, which is ambitious, and I’m not sure it will happen, but as of now, we agree on the goal,” Trump said.

With a key July 9 deadline approaching, both countries are working to finalize the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) within a 90-day window that has temporarily paused tariff hikes.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in the U.S. for the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. On Monday, he opened a UN exhibition titled “The Human Cost of Terrorism,” aimed at spotlighting the global impact of state-sponsored terrorism.

The QUAD — comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. — is a strategic alliance focused on promoting a free, stable, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. It originated from a coordinated humanitarian response following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Earlier, on June 18, it was announced that President Trump had accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to attend the upcoming QUAD Summit in New Delhi later this year. According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the invitation and acceptance were exchanged during a phone call on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada. “For the next QUAD meeting, PM Modi invited President Trump to India. President Trump, while accepting the invitation, expressed his enthusiasm about visiting India,” Misri said in a video message.