India, US will have a 'good trade deal,' says Trump
What's the story
US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about a forthcoming Bilateral Trade Agreement with India and praised PM Modi. In an interview with Moneycontrol, Trump said, "I have great respect for your Prime Minister. He's a fantastic man and a friend of mine." He further added his confidence in the upcoming trade deal saying, "We are going to have a good deal." His remarks came after his address at the 56th Annual Summit of the World Economic Forum, in Davos.
Deal progress
India's Commerce Secretary hints at imminent BTA
India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has said that the first tranche of the India-US BTA is "very near." The BTA was first proposed in February on the instructions of both countries' leaders and aims to more than double bilateral trade from the current $191 billion to $500 billion by 2030.
Negotiation timeline
BTA negotiations initiated during Modi's 2025 Washington visit
The talks for the BTA were first announced during PM Modi's visit to Washington in February 2025. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said, "India and the United States were committed to negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US as far back as 13th of February last year." The MEA spokesperson also noted that "on several occasions, we have been close to a deal."