US Senator Steve Daines concludes India visit, pushes for stronger strategic and trade ties
New Delhi, January 20. US Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, concluded a three-day visit to India from January 17 to 19, holding a series of high-level meetings in New Delhi with Indian ministers, parliamentarians, and business leaders to advance bilateral cooperation.
During his visit, Senator Daines met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Members of Parliament, and representatives from the US and Indian business communities, according to a statement issued by the US Embassy in New Delhi on January 20. Discussions focused on strengthening the US-India strategic partnership, expanding defence cooperation, securing resilient supply chains, and boosting trade and investment ties.
Reflecting on the visit, Daines said he travelled to India to reaffirm shared democratic values and the growing strategic relationship between the two countries, while also advocating for the interests of Montana’s pulse crop farmers. He noted that India’s engagement on agricultural trade issues was encouraging and said he would continue working with President Donald Trump to press for favourable outcomes for US farmers in future trade negotiations.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the visit underscored Washington’s commitment to deepening engagement with New Delhi. He added that Senator Daines’s interactions with senior Indian officials and private sector leaders were significant in advancing bilateral ties, particularly given his experience in Asia and role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
According to the US Embassy, Senator Daines raised the importance of accelerating talks towards a fair and reciprocal bilateral trade agreement, including provisions on pulse crops. Montana is the largest producer of pulse crops in the US, while India remains the world’s largest consumer.
The senator also engaged with business leaders to highlight opportunities for deeper cooperation in advanced technologies and to encourage greater trade and investment aimed at enhancing economic prosperity in both countries.
