Trade, defense, and immigration dominated Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s bilateral meeting with Donald Trump, hours after the US President imposed sweeping reciprocal tariffs, claiming that India is “right at the top of the pack.”
The primary results from the short summit, which occurred within the first month of Trump’s presidency, were the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack suspect Tahawwur Rana to India and the F-35 aircraft purchase.
During the joint press briefing, PM Modi stated that India and the United States have set a USD 500 billion aim for bilateral trade by 2030, with India planning to import more US oil and gas to reduce its trade imbalance.
Trump praised India’s recent efforts to reduce tariffs on US exports such as motorcycles, metals, and technology.
Despite the tariff shadow, the two leaders’ goodwill was obvious as they exchanged a warm hug and praised their collaboration in their own unique style.
The Prime Minister stated that only Trump had “copyright on the word deal,” and the US President responded by claiming that Modi was a “much tougher and much better negotiator than him.”
Conclusions from the Modi-Trump meeting
- During the joint briefing, Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi spoke largely about trade. According to PM Modi, the two countries have established a bilateral trade goal of USD 500 billion. Additionally, Trump declared an agreement with India to increase US gas and oil imports.
- The extradition of 26/11 terror attack suspect Tahawwur Rana, which India has long demanded, was a significant news. “My administration has approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, one of the very evil people of the world, to face justice in India,” Trump stated.
- Trump announced that the US would give India fifth-generation F-35 stealth jets and enhance military sales to the country by “billions of dollars” in a significant move to strengthen defense ties. The transaction was later described as being in the “proposal stage” by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Additionally revealed were new co-production agreements and procurements for ‘Stryker’ Infantry Combat Vehicles and ‘Javelin’ anti-tank guided missiles.
