WASHINGTON — On Thursday, President Donald Trump will hold a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has previously expressed admiration for Trump and is attempting to sidestep tariffs recently introduced by the new U.S. administration.
As a nationalist leader, Modi has consistently highlighted his amicable rapport with Trump during his previous term and has celebrated Trump’s recent election victory. The Indian Prime Minister is eager to enhance ties with the United States and the Western world, especially in light of strained relations following Modi’s refusal to explicitly denounce Russia concerning its conflict in Ukraine.
Modi’s visit coincides with his party’s successful outcome in a significant state election in India, particularly impacting the federal territory and New Delhi. Before his departure to Washington, the Prime Minister expressed that the meeting offers an opportunity to “further strengthen our collaboration” in critical sectors such as technology, commerce, defense, and energy. The planned schedule includes Trump greeting Modi at 4 p.m. ET, a meeting at 4:05 p.m. ET, a press conference at 5:10 p.m. ET, and a dinner at 5:40 p.m. ET.
However, despite the cooperation, the atmosphere of the meeting may not entirely be positive. President Trump, representing the Republican Party, has already implemented tariffs on Chinese goods and is expected to extend these measures to the European Union, while also threatening potential tariffs against Canada and Mexico, as well as broadening existing tariffs on steel and aluminum established during his first term. On Thursday, he indicated his intentions to sign an order that would elevate U.S. tariffs to levels aligned with those imposed by other nations, making an announcement on his social media about “RECIPROCAL TARIFFS!!!”
Trump has frequently labeled India as a “tariff king.” In a bid to ease tensions, New Delhi has expressed interest in increasing its purchases of American oil and has taken steps to reduce its tariffs on select U.S. products. For instance, the tariff on certain Harley-Davidson motorcycles was lowered from 50% to 40%.
Additionally, in 2023, India removed retaliatory tariffs on various American commodities such as almonds, apples, chickpeas, lentils, and walnuts. The dialogue will likely touch upon a recent collaboration allowing General Electric, a U.S.-based company, to partner with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics for the production of jet engines within India, as well as the acquisition of U.S.-manufactured armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones.
Nevertheless, Trump has expressed concerns over America’s international trade deficits, pledging to address them during discussions, a theme echoed in his recent conversations with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The United States, while being India’s largest trading partner, finds itself in a $50 billion trade deficit favoring India.
In 2023, the overall trade between India and the U.S. was approximately $190.1 billion, with exports from the U.S. valued at nearly $70 billion and imports reaching $120 billion, according to India’s External Affairs Ministry.
Immigration is another critical issue set to be on the agenda. Prime Minister Modi can cite India’s acceptance of 104 migrants who were repatriated on a U.S. military flight — the first such return under the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies concerning the U.S.-Mexico border.
From the perspective of Trump’s administration, India holds significant importance in the U.S. strategy to counterbalance China in the Indo-Pacific region. Modi’s nation is also slated to host a summit among the Quad nations — which include the United States, India, Japan, and Australia — later this year.
