WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on a two-day visit to hold high-stakes talks with President Donald Trump in the face of concerns in New Delhi over Washington’s new “America First” trade agenda as well as its policy on immigration.
The prime minister will be hosted by the US President on Thursday in what would be the first bilateral talks between the two leaders after Trump assumed the presidency for a second term last month.
“Landed in Washington DC a short while ago. Looking forward to meeting
@POTUS Donald Trump and building upon the India-USA Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Our nations will keep working closely for the benefit of our people and for a better future for our planet. @realDonaldTrump,” Modi posted on X along with pictures.
Modi is staying at the Blair House, the US presidential guest house at the heart of the American capital city.
As Prime Minister Modi reached Blair House, the President’s Guest House, he was accorded a rousing welcome by members of the Indian-American diaspora.
Braving freezing temperatures and rain, the community members gathered at Blair House and welcomed him with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Modi Modi’ as they waved the Indian and American flags.
“A warm reception in the winter chill! Despite the cold weather, the Indian diaspora in Washington DC has welcomed me with a very special welcome. My gratitude to them,” Modi said on X.
Prime Minister’s office posted on X, “Upon his arrival in Washington DC, PM @narendramodi received an enthusiastic welcome from the Indian community.”
He also shared few pictures.
Prime Minister Modi also met newly appointed Director of National Intelligence in the Donald Trump administration Tulsi Gabbard, and discussed India-USA friendship, of which he said, she has been a “strong votary”.
He also congratulated 43-year-old Gabbard on her confirmation as the nation’s top intelligence official.
This was Modi’s second interaction with the top leadership of the Trump administration. In France, at the dinner, he met US Vice President JD Vance, who was there to attend the AI Summit.
With Trump’s tariff policy sending shockwave across the world, Modi’s key priority is likely to be to pre-empt any punitive trade action by Washington against India.
People closely tracking India-US ties said there is a possibility of both sides exploring the option of looking at a trade pact to avoid high tariffs and expand the overall trade basket.
In their meeting, the two leaders are likely to broadly focus on ramping up India-US cooperation in sectors like trade, investment, energy, defence, technology and immigration.
Apart from some possible sector-specific outcomes, it will be interesting to see the optics and what kind of broader signal the meeting between Modi and Trump, known for their personal bonhomie, produces with sensitive issues like immigration and tariff expected to be focus of the talks.
The prime minister’s visit to the American capital comes days after the Trump administration deported 104 Indians in handcuffs and shackles on a military aircraft that sparked outrage in India.
Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that New Delhi is in touch with the US to ensure that returning Indian deportees are not mistreated in any manner.
Another major issue on the table is set to be trade as Trump’s policy on tariffs on rivals and allies alike.
Modi’s visit to the US comes shortly after Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on global steel and aluminium imports into the US. The move is expected to hit the Indian firms exporting steel and aluminium to the US.
India has already indicated its readiness to adopt a more conciliatory approach on the sensitive issue unlike its hardline approach during Trump’s first term.
It is learnt that New Delhi may consider slashing tariffs in at least a dozen sector provided some reciprocity by the White House. Modi and Trump are unlikely to discuss specifics on tariff but the two leaders may deliberate on a broader picture.
The bilateral trade between India and the US was around USD 130 billion last year.
The two leaders are also likely to touch upon overall situation in the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine and developments in West Asia.
Modi and Trump, during a phone conversation on January 27, vowed to work towards a “trusted” partnership with a focus on boosting India-US cooperation in areas of trade, energy and defence.
Following the phone talks, the White House said Trump emphasised the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trade relationship.
Modi and Trump are likely to focus on boosting the energy ties.
On February 1, New Delhi announced plans to amend its nuclear liability law and set up a nuclear energy mission.
Certain clauses in India’s Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 have emerged as hurdles in moving forward in implementation of the historic civil nuclear deal that was firmed up between the two strategic partners around 16 years back.
It is learnt that India is looking at the possibility of civil nuclear cooperation with the US in the small modular reactors (SMRs).
Modi arrived right after his visit to France where he had co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron.
He is the fourth foreign leader hosted by Trump over the weeks since his inauguration.
Within less than a month of the start of his second term in the White House, Trump has hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. PTI
