PM Modi Likely to Travel to US for December G20 Summit, Bilateral Meet With Trump on Cards

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the United States in December to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Florida, people familiar with the preparations have said.

US President Donald Trump is set to host the two-day summit on December 14 and 15 at the Trump National Doral Miami resort. Modi is also expected to meet Trump for a bilateral discussion on the sidelines of the summit if the Prime Minister travels to Florida. The Indian government has not yet made an official announcement regarding the visit.

The possible meeting comes as New Delhi and Washington continue negotiations on trade and broader bilateral cooperation. It also comes against the backdrop of Washington’s threat of a 100 per cent tariff on Indian imports linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor recently indicated that Modi would be among the leaders Trump is keen to meet during the G20 gathering. His comments suggested that the Indian Prime Minister’s engagement in Florida could extend beyond the formal summit programme.

Modi and Trump most recently met during the G7 Summit in Evian, France, in June. Their discussions covered India-US cooperation in trade, defence, energy and technology, along with negotiations for an interim bilateral trade agreement.

India and the US have maintained frequent high-level engagement, with trade, defence, technology, critical minerals and energy emerging as key areas of cooperation. Both sides are also pursuing a broader trade agreement. According to US officials, bilateral trade is currently worth around $240 billion, with India and the US aiming to increase the figure to $500 billion over the coming years.

The G20 gathering could also coincide with a possible Quad leaders’ meeting involving India, the US, Japan and Australia. Preparations are reportedly underway for the meeting, with artificial intelligence, critical minerals, emerging technologies and disaster relief expected to feature in discussions.

Modi could also travel to Canada after his potential US visit, according to diplomatic sources. Reuters, citing Canada’s trade minister, reported that a meeting between Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is being considered around the G20 Summit.

India and Canada are currently engaged in negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adding an economic focus to the expected bilateral engagement.