New Delhi (NVI): Despite reports that the US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t finalise on a trade deal during the former’s two-day India visit, the two leaders got down to business and were ironing out differences, the US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) has said.
“During his historic two-day visit to India, Trump and PM Modi got down to business. Despite reports that the two leaders did not announce a trade deal, they are ironing out differences,” USINPAC said in a statement yesterday.
Modi and Trump are known as tough negotiators but both have indicated that they are on a path to a “comprehensive” accord. “Comprehensive trade is what we need,” said Sanjay Puri, Chairman of USINPAC.
“We need to hammer out a long-term trade deal that addresses agriculture, defense, goods and services, tariffs and also includes the needs of small and medium-sized businesses and women-owned enterprises – issues that the Indian American community and PM Modi have been working on since Gujarat and beyond.”
The Committee further said that both countries know that going forward the India-US relationship must be based on more than strategic interests, important as those are. The Trump visit has solidified this understanding and perhaps created new momentum for a 2020 deal, it said.
“Back in Washington, we cannot let up,” Puri said. “The Indian American community is a driving force that can make a good deal a better deal. This is why we continue to be at the forefront of calling for fairer treatment. As I have said before, we have testified at Congressional hearings. Our statements are included in Committee records, and on the House floor. We have galvanized House and Senate members in the US Congress to advance equal opportunity, advancement and inclusion across the spectrum.”
“We thank President Trump and the First Lady for visiting India to see firsthand why India matters to us. We look forward to the Trump Administration and Modi government capitalizing on the momentum brought about by Trump’s visit to India. And, on behalf of the Indian American community, we will continue to do all we can to bring about smart solutions for a long-term trade deal that recognizes the vital importance of the US-India partnership,” Puri stated.
