White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday described India as a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific region. She also praised the strong personal bond between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India Seen as Strategic Partner in Asia

When asked about China’s growing role in the region, Leavitt responded, “India remains a very strategic ally in the Asia Pacific, and the President has a very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and he will continue to have that.”

Her comments came at a time when India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, is visiting the United States. He is attending the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and also launched a UN exhibition on Monday. The exhibition, titled The Human Cost of Terrorism, aims to raise awareness about the impact of staate-sponsored terrorism.

QUAD Focuses on Indo-Pacific Cooperation

The QUAD, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a partnership between the US, India, Japan, and Australia. It began as a humanitarian effort after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Today, it works to promote peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region.

Trump Accepts Modi’s Invite for Upcoming QUAD Summit

Earlier this month, on June 18, officials announced that President Trump accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to visit India for the next QUAD Summit. The phone call between the two leaders happened on the sidelines of the G7 Summit held in Canada.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed this in a video message. He said, “For the next meeting of QUAD, PM Modi invited President Trump to India. While accepting the invitation, President Trump said that he is excited to come to India.”

US-India Trade Deal in Progress

Shortly after discussing India’s regional importance, Leavitt responded to another question—this time about trade talks between India and the US. She confirmed that both sides are close to reaching an agreement.

She stated, “Yes, the President said that last week (that the US and India are very close to a trade deal), and it remains true. I just spoke to our Secretary of Commerce about it. He was in the Oval Office with the President. They are finalising these agreements, and you’ll hear from the President and his trade team very soon when it comes to India.”