Trump admin calls India ‘strategic ally’ even as trade negotiators race against tariff deadline

US President Donald Trump has agreed to attend the next QUAD Summit in New Delhi after accepting an invite from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called India a “very strategic ally” and underlined Trumps close ties with Modi. As External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visits the US for QUAD talks, negotiators from both sides push to seal a trade pact before fresh tariffs hit. Both sides say final hurdles remain but optimism stays high.