India’s Modi, Trump likely to meet at G-7, discuss trade, visas: Sources
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- Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with Trump on the sidelines of the G-7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France (June 15-17), with trade, energy cooperation, and H-1B visas on the agenda.
- Modi will begin a five-day overseas visit on June 13 and travel to Slovakia after attending the G-7 meeting.
- India's Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said bilateral trade talks are advancing toward the first tranche of an agreement that could be concluded by mid-July, with India pushing for preferential tariff treatment.
- Washington has proposed an additional 12.5% tariff on Indian imports alleging forced labour, which India has rejected, with negotiations on the surcharge still unresolved.
- The H-1B visa issue is on the agenda given its direct implications for thousands of Indians working in the United States, according to the first Indian government source.
- Modi and Trump may also discuss potential energy cooperation involving the United States and Venezuela, the first source said.
Why it matters: A Modi-Trump meeting at the G-7 could unblock the interim bilateral trade deal India seeks, but the unresolved 12.5% forced-labour tariff proposal and H-1B visa tightening — both affecting Indian workers and exporters — remain sticking points. The June 15-17 timing leaves roughly a month to close the first tranche by the mid-July deadline.
