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    The Indian Eye
                                            COVER STORY                                                                                      4
                                                                                                                         JULY 10, 2026

                                                           INDIA-US TIES

             BEGINNING OF

                      NEW PHASES

               As the United States marks 250 years of independence and India continues its own economic transfor-
                    mation, the bilateral relationship appears to be entering one of its most consequential phases

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            summit,  Aghi  disclosed  that  discus-
                                                                                                                  sions held with Greer after his return
            Washington, DC / New Delhi
                                                                                                                  from New Delhi indicated that “ a lot
                 ew bilateral relationships have                                                                  of progress was made.”
                 evolved as dramatically over                                                                         Aghi  also  pointed  to  the  broad-
            Fthe past  two decades as that                                                                        er  vision  shared  by  Prime  Minister
            between India and the United States.                                                                  Narendra Modi and President Don-
            What was once defined largely by di-                                                                  ald Trump, who have agreed to work
            plomacy has today expanded into a                                                                     towards  expanding  bilateral  trade  to
            comprehensive  partnership  spanning                                                                  USD 500 billion by 2030. According to
            trade,  defence,  technology,  innova-                                                                him, the target is already beginning to
            tion, investment and people-to-peo-                                                                   take shape as “trade between the two
            ple connections. Recent discussions at                                                                countries is going up.”
            the IX US-India Strategic Partnership                                                                     The  sense  that  negotiations  are
            Forum (USISPF) Leadership  Sum-                                                                       approaching the finish line was rein-
            mit  in  Washington  underscored  that                                                                forced by US Ambassador to India
            the relationship is no longer confined                                                                Sergio Gor. Speaking at the summit,
            to  government  interactions  but  has    Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump hold a bilateral meeting on the   Gor stated that discussions had en-
            become a broad-based collaboration         sidelines of the recent G7 Summit 2026 in France (Reuters Video/ANI)  tered their concluding stage after near-
            involving  policymakers,  businesses,                                                                 ly  eighteen  months  of  negotiations.
            researchers, entrepreneurs  and  the   The  list  ranges  from  presidents   That emphasis on people was   “Most of this deal is complete,”
            Indian diaspora.                  and prime ministers to diplomats, en-  echoed throughout the summit. For-  he said, adding that only “the last one
                The  summit  itself  reflected  this   trepreneurs, academics, artists, scien-  mer US Ambassador Kenneth Juster   or two per cent” remained unresolved
            transformation.  Bringing  together   tists and business leaders, illustrating   described people-to-people ties as   between both sides. He characterised
            Fortune 500 executives, senior policy-  how the partnership has steadily grown   the “secret sauce” that has anchored   the proposed agreement as a “win-win
            makers and diplomats, it focused on   beyond  official  diplomacy.  Rather   bilateral relations across decades, sug-  situation” for India as well as the Unit-
            charting  an  ambitious  roadmap  for   than  celebrating  institutions  alone,   gesting  that  while  governments  and   ed States, while emphasising that both
            the next stage of bilateral cooperation.   the publication recognises individuals   policies may evolve, the deeper soci-  governments remain actively engaged
            The central objective was clear: deep-  who strengthened diplomatic, cultur-  etal connections continue to provide   in bringing the negotiations to a suc-
            en collaboration across sectors while   al and economic bonds between the   stability and momentum.   cessful conclusion.
            working towards an ambitious target   two  democracies  across  generations.  Trade Deal in Sight         Yet  speakers  repeatedly  argued
            of raising bilateral trade to USD 500   USISPF President and CEO                                      that the significance of the trade agree-
            billion by 2030.                  Mukesh Aghi said the organisation’s   f  there  was  one  message  that   ment extends well beyond tariff reduc-
                A  significant  highlight  of  the   mission  has  always  been  “to  trans-  emerged  consistently  from  the   tions or increased market access. John
            event was the launch of the second   late strategic intent into tangible out- IUSISPF summit, it was that the   T. Chambers, Chairman of USISPF,
            edition of USISPF’s commemorative   comes.”  He  noted  that  the  relation-  long-awaited  bilateral  trade  agree-  urged both countries to avoid treating
            coffee table book, We The People: 250   ship has advanced because of “people   ment appears closer than ever.  trade, defence and technology as sep-
            Voices: A Tribute to the 250 Voices   who believe  in  the  potential of  this   Optimism  over  the  negotiations   arate conversations.
            that Shaped the US-India Relations.   relationship  and  invest  their  energy,   was  evident  across  government  and   “Our countries have a chance to
            Released  during  celebrations  mark-  expertise, and ambition in its growth,”   industry. Mukesh Aghi revealed that   work  together  in  ways  we’ve  never
            ing America’s 250th year of indepen-  adding that the book serves as “a trib-  US  Trade  Representative  Ambassa-  done before,” Chambers said. “It can’t
            dence,  the  publication  honours  250   ute  to  those  individuals”  while  cele-  dor Jamieson Lee Greer’s recent vis-  be trade over here, defence over here,
            personalities from different walks of   brating “what has been built and an   it to India had produced “excellent   semiconductors over here. It’s got to
            life whose contributions have helped   acknowledgement  of  all  those  who   groundwork”  for  finalising  an  inter-  be; how do we think out of the box?”
            shape modern India-US relations.  laid the foundations.”            im  trade  framework.  Addressing  the   Continued on next page... >>

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