{"id":27571,"date":"2025-02-15T00:02:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T22:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=27571"},"modified":"2025-02-14T21:46:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T19:46:47","slug":"indias-modi-meets-trump-in-washington-to-discuss-trade-immigration-and-military-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/indias-modi-meets-trump-in-washington-to-discuss-trade-immigration-and-military-ties\/","title":{"rendered":"India&#8217;s Modi meets Trump in Washington to discuss trade, immigration, and military ties"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>5 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House on February 13, 2025. While emphasizing friendship and cooperation with New Delhi, Trump made it clear that India would not be exempt from his aggressive trade policies and higher tariffs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trade was a central theme of the meeting between the two leaders. The U.S. and India had a trade deficit of $50 billion in India\u2019s favor in 2023, with total goods and services trade reaching approximately $190.1 billion. According to India\u2019s External Affairs Ministry, U.S. exports to India amounted to nearly $70 billion, while imports stood at $120 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the warm welcome and cordial exchanges, Trump did not hold back his criticism of India\u2019s trade policies. \u201cWhatever India charges, we charge them,\u201d he said during a joint press conference with Modi. \u201cSo, frankly, it no longer matters to us that much, what they charge.\u201d He has previously labeled India as the \u201ctariff king,\u201d decrying what he considers to be unfair trade practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump signed an order before Modi\u2019s arrival to increase tariffs on imports to match the tax rates imposed by other nations, a move that impacts U.S. trading partners worldwide, including India. The White House defended this as a necessary step to level the playing field for American manufacturers, although it is expected to result in higher costs for American businesses and consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Modi, for his part, has been eager to avoid additional tariffs and to strengthen relations with Washington, especially after facing criticism for not condemning Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine. Addressing this, Modi emphasized India\u2019s stance on global peace. \u201cThe world had this thinking that India somehow is a neutral country in this whole process,\u201d he said. \u201cBut this is not true. India has a side, and that side is of peace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"800\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">President Donald J. Trump welcomed Indian Prime Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NarendraModi<\/a> to the White House today. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf3 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4UB23j7UvK\">pic.twitter.com\/4UB23j7UvK<\/a><\/p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WhiteHouse\/status\/1890171512319250812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 13, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><br>While trade tensions remain, Modi and Trump indicated they were working toward a comprehensive trade deal that could be completed later this year. Trump suggested that increasing U.S. energy exports to India could help reduce the trade deficit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>India had already shown a willingness to lower some trade barriers even before Modi\u2019s visit. In 2023, India reduced tariffs on certain U.S. goods, including cutting levies on Harley-Davidson motorcycles from 50% to 40%. Additionally, India dropped retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products like almonds, apples, chickpeas, lentils, and walnuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite these positive steps, Trump has remained firm in his approach. He has imposed tariffs on China, threatened similar actions against the European Union, and expanded tariffs on steel and aluminum, moves that have drawn criticism from U.S. businesses and allies alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Military sales and extradition agreement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump announced that the U.S. would increase military sales to India by \u201cmany millions of dollars.\u201d This could potentially lead to India acquiring F-35 stealth fighter jets, which the country has long sought to boost its defense capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another major agreement between the two nations involved extradition. Trump confirmed that Tahawwur Hussain Rana, convicted in 2011 in the U.S. for plotting an attack on a Danish newspaper, would be sent back to India to face justice for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-President-Trump-with-Indian-PM-Modi.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"707\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-President-Trump-with-Indian-PM-Modi.jpg?resize=1016%2C707&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"U.S. President Donald Trump with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi\" class=\"wp-image-27576\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-President-Trump-with-Indian-PM-Modi.jpg?resize=1024%2C713&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-President-Trump-with-Indian-PM-Modi.jpg?resize=300%2C209&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-President-Trump-with-Indian-PM-Modi.jpg?resize=768%2C534&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-President-Trump-with-Indian-PM-Modi.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>U.S. President Donald J. Trump with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the at the White House in Washington, U.S., on February 14, 2025. (Image Credit: X\/@POTUS)<\/sup><\/em><br><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Immigration and deportations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s going to be going back to India to face justice,\u201d Trump stated. \u201cWe\u2019re giving him back to India immediately.\u201d He also hinted at further extraditions in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another key issue of discussion was immigration. The Trump administration has been cracking down on illegal immigration, and India recently accepted the return of 104 migrants deported from the U.S. This was the first such flight to India under Trump\u2019s stricter immigration policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>India has the third-largest population of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., with over 725,000 Indian nationals residing in the country without legal status, according to the Pew Research Center. There has also been a notable increase in Indian nationals attempting to cross into the U.S. through the Canadian border, with more than 14,000 arrests in the past year accounting for 60% of all border arrests in that region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump has repeatedly promised a \u201cmass deportation\u201d of undocumented immigrants. Modi responded positively, saying, \u201cAny verified Indian who is in the U.S. illegally, we are fully prepared to take them back to India.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Modi\u2019s praise for Trump<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the visit, Modi continued his tradition of publicly praising Trump. He even coined a slogan inspired by Trump\u2019s well-known \u201cMake America Great Again\u201d (MAGA) campaign, stating that he is determined to \u201cMake India Great Again\u201d (MIGA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Modi\u2019s outreach to Trump is part of a broader strategy to strengthen India\u2019s ties with the U.S. and Western allies, especially considering India\u2019s neutral stance on Russia\u2019s actions in Ukraine. By aligning more closely with Washington, Modi is seeking economic and strategic benefits while maintaining India\u2019s independent foreign policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before he met with Trump, Modi met with key U.S. officials, including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. He also held discussions with billionaire entrepreneur and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who holds a top position in the Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">An excellent meeting with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@POTUS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@realDonaldTrump<\/a> at the White House. Our talks will add significant momentum to the India-USA friendship! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lS7o4768yi\">pic.twitter.com\/lS7o4768yi<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/narendramodi\/status\/1890210237770260615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 14, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Trump was asked whether Musk met with Modi in his capacity as a government official or as a business leader, given concerns about his commercial interests in India. Trump responded, \u201cIndia is a very hard place to do business because of the tariffs. They have the highest tariffs, just about in the world, and it\u2019s a hard place to do business. No, I would imagine he met possibly because, you know, he is running a company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the Trump-Modi meeting showcased a strong personal rapport between the two leaders, underlying tensions remain, particularly in trade and tariffs. As Modi continues to navigate India\u2019s role on the global stage, his alignment with Trump signals a push for stronger U.S.-India relations. Whether this partnership can overcome trade disputes in the long run remains to be seen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House on February 13, 2025. While emphasizing friendship and cooperation with New Delhi, Trump made it clear that India would not be exempt from his aggressive trade policies and higher tariffs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[124,1,125],"tags":[137,380,6,134,254,70,296,702,7],"class_list":["post-27571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-pacific","category-news","category-united-states","tag-asia","tag-asia-pacific","tag-defense","tag-economy","tag-immigration","tag-india","tag-trade","tag-trump","tag-u-s"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-Trump-Indian-PM-Modi.jpg?fit=690%2C370&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7jJWb-7aH","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27571"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27571\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27580,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27571\/revisions\/27580"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}