New Delhi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that President Donald Trump is likely to visit India early next year, as New Delhi and Washington continue negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement that he described as being close to completion.
Speaking about India-US relations, Rubio said discussions on the proposed trade pact were progressing positively following a recent meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.
I think it's going fantastic. It's very strong. We had a great meeting with the Prime Minister, the President did at the G7. 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.
He added that both countries are preparing for the next meeting of the Quad grouping and expressed hope that he would visit India before the end of the year to help prepare for President Trump's proposed trip.
Commenting on bilateral ties, Rubio described the relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Modi as "great" and praised Modi's leadership, saying he was a "fan" of the Indian Prime Minister. He also said that Modi had helped elevate India's position on the global stage.
On energy cooperation, Rubio said India and the United States were working together to expand energy supplies. He noted that India is among the few countries with the capacity to refine heavy crude oil, describing it as an important aspect of the two countries' energy partnership.
India and the United States have been engaged in negotiations aimed at strengthening economic and strategic ties through a bilateral trade agreement. While both sides have expressed optimism about the progress of the talks, no official announcement has yet been made regarding the finalisation of the deal or the schedule for President Trump's proposed visit to India.
Sources: India Today
