Senior officials in US President Donald Trump's administration have outlined an ambitious roadmap for strengthening India-US ties, signalling that Washington is working towards an early 2027 presidential visit to India, expects to conclude a bilateral trade agreement within the next few weeks or months, and views New Delhi as one of its closest strategic partners.
In separate exclusive interviews with IANS at the White House, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the bilateral relationship is stronger than ever, highlighting expanding cooperation across trade, defence, energy, critical technologies and the Indo-Pacific.
Rubio said the Trump administration is aiming to organise the President's visit to India early next year.
"I look forward to returning myself before the end of the year and setting up a presidential visit in the early part of next year," Rubio said.
When asked whether President Trump would visit India next year, Rubio replied, "We're hoping. That's what we're working towards—having the President come sometime early next year."
Expressing confidence over the ongoing trade negotiations, Rubio said, "We're hoping to finalise a trade deal. We're on the last inches of getting it done, and it's looking very positive."
Echoing that optimism, Ambassador Gor said only a few issues remain before the agreement can be finalised.
"There's a handful of issues that remain. Much of the work now involves finalising the legal language that both sides will ultimately sign. We're confident that over the next few weeks or months, it'll get done," he said.
Both officials underlined the importance of the personal rapport between President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in driving bilateral relations.
"India is such a close partner and ally of the United States, and the relationship between the Prime Minister and the President couldn't be closer, which is incredibly important in diplomacy," Rubio said.
Gor described the Trump-Modi relationship as one of the strongest pillars of India-US ties.
"The President and the Prime Minister are great friends. That relationship goes back years and will continue for years to come," he said.
Praising Prime Minister Modi's leadership style, Gor added, "He is incredibly dynamic, hands-on and results-driven. In many ways, I see similarities between him and President Trump because they both like to be directly involved and focus on delivering results quickly."
The two officials also highlighted the expanding scope of strategic cooperation between the two countries.
"I think we have so much aligned and in common that we can build on together—whether it's economics, supply chains, critical minerals, energy, security or freedom of navigation. We're aligned on so many issues," Rubio said.
Gor said the partnership holds enormous untapped potential, particularly in technology, defence, pharmaceuticals, investment and innovation.
"You can look at almost any sector where the United States and India can work together and take cooperation to the next level. The potential is virtually limitless," he said.
