Modi-Takaichi talks, India-US trade deal near as diplomacy gathers pace

Newdelhi,UPDATED: Jun 30, 2026 20:54 IST

A series of developments on Tuesday covered India’s ties with key partners, political and legal moves in South Asia, and policy changes in the UK and the US. They ranged from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s upcoming talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fresh comments on the India-US trade deal and the future direction of India-US cooperation.

The day also saw a Bangladeshi tribunal sentence an ally of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Britain announce immigration and defence measures, Venezuela acknowledge India’s earthquake relief work, and sharp exchanges at the United Nations and in Washington on terrorism financing, regional security and bilateral ties.

In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s talks with Modi during her India visit this week are set to focus on advancing cooperation in economic security, energy, investment and innovation.

In Washington, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the US-India trade deal was in its “final steps”, with only the last “one per cent” of negotiations left, and said he was confident the agreement would be sealed soon.

Gor also played down the controversy over the renaming of the Indo-Pacific Command. He said he did not care about the “name on the letterhead” and said attention should instead be on what America is actually doing.

India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, said emerging technologies would define the next phase of India-US cooperation. He identified biotechnology, artificial intelligence and semiconductors as priority sectors.

At the same time, a senior US official said the concept of digital and artificial intelligence sovereignty was in danger of being weaponised by different political voices overseas. The official urged countries not to “sink” billions of dollars in “re-inventing” a technology that already exists.

Adding a sharply critical note, Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said the US-India relationship was at its “lowest point in the last 30 years” because of US President Donald Trump’s “utterly destructive policies”.

At the United Nations, India said attempts by some countries to question the Financial Action Task Force’s credibility reflected their “fear of scrutiny”. In a veiled reference to Pakistan, India asked such nations to stop exporting instability and ensure their territory was not misused for terrorism.

In Dhaka, a Bangladeshi tribunal sentenced an ally of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in prison for committing “crimes against humanity” during the 2024 street protests.

In London, the UK announced immigration reforms under which more than 45,000 foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers are to be removed over the coming decade, while refugees will have to repay accommodation costs. Separately, Britain’s caretaker Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a major defence spending plan focused on strengthening the country’s drone warfare capabilities as part of his leadership legacy.

In Caracas, Venezuela appreciated the efforts of an Indian medical team helping victims of the earthquake that struck the country and killed more than 1,700 people. Taken together, the developments reflected a day of movement across diplomacy, trade, security, migration policy and humanitarian work involving India and several major partners.

With PTI Inputs

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