Modi-Trump Meeting Scheduled for Next Week

US President Donald Trump has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet at the White House next week, confirmed a White House official. The announcement came just hours after a US military aircraft deported illegal Indian immigrants.

This meeting is seen as a crucial step in strengthening the bilateral trade and strategic relations between the two nations, especially with Modi's government concerned about Trump's threat to impose equal tariffs on Indian products.

Earlier, on January 27, Trump and Modi had a phone conversation, during which they discussed immigration policy, security cooperation, and bilateral trade. Trump emphasized that India should buy more US defense equipment and stressed the need for a trade balance.

India and the US are currently building a strategic partnership against China. India seeks to deepen its commercial ties with the US and simplify the visa process for skilled workers.

However, due to previous threats from the Trump administration, India is keen on reducing tariffs on US goods. Trump had previously criticized India's high tariff policies and warned of imposing tariffs.

Currently, the United States is India's largest trading partner. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, trade between the two countries exceeded $118 billion, with India maintaining a trade surplus of $32 billion.
(Source: Nikkei Asia)