Donald Trump spoke with PM Narendra Modi over the phone on January 27.
United States President Donald Trump has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the country next week, Reuters reported citing a White House official. The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the official visit, did not provide further details.
Donald Trump spoke with PM Modi over the phone on January 27. The US president discussed immigration and stressed the importance of India buying more American-made security equipment.
PM Modi wrote on X after the phone call that he congratulated his “dear friend” on his second term in office. “We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership. We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security,” he said.
Here’s what we know about Modi’s trip to US
- PM Modi is likely to meet Trump on February 13 in Washington DC, sources told HT. Trump is also likely to host a dinner for Modi.
- Modi is expected to arrive in Washington DC on February 12 after wrapping up his visit to France. He will stay in the US capital till February 14.
- Modi is expected to have other engagements both with American corporate leaders and with the community.
- India and the US are keen to enhance trade relations and improve visa rules. The United States is India’s largest trading partner and two-way trade between the two countries surpassed $118 billion in 2023/24.
- Donald Trump, who calls Modi his friend, had told reporters after the phone call that the Indian PM was likely to visit the United States in February.
- Trump is keen on reducing the US trade deficit with India. New Delhi recently expressed its willingness to engage with Trump over trade issues as it reduced customs duties on key items in the Budget that may benefit US companies.
- Trump had indicated that he discussed the issue of illegal immigration with Modi and Modi would “do the right thing”. India has already said it will take back all those Indians who had illegally entered the US after they were duly identified as Indian.
- On the strategic side, there is an expectation that both sides will signal continued technology cooperation, either within the same framework of the initiative on critical and emerging technologies or a repackaged initiative of a similar kind.
- The US is also keen on greater interoperability between the militaries of both sides, and has sent signals that it is willing to have a look at export control regulations contingent on Indian defence acquisitions.
- New Delhi is also keen to avoid tariffs that Trump has threatened in the past, citing India’s high tariffs on US products.
