President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the White Home on Thursday to strengthen the connection between the nations, together with elevated army gross sales, vitality agreements and a brand new commerce route.
“There’s really a particular bond between the USA and India, the world’s oldest democracy, the world’s largest democracy, and I consider, the world’s largest nation by way of the numbers of individuals,” Mr. Trump stated in a joint press convention with Mr. Modi within the East Room.
Mr. Trump introduced a “framework to strengthen these ties” and elevated army gross sales to India “by many billions of {dollars},” and a plan to offer India with stealth fighters. He introduced a brand new commerce route that may run from “India to Israel to Italy and onward to the USA, connecting our companions by ports, railways and undersea cables.”
“The US and India might be working collectively like by no means earlier than to confront the specter of radical Islamic terrorism, the menace everywhere in the world,” Mr. Trump stated.
The president introduced the extradition from the U.S. of Tahawwur Rana, who’s accused of serving to perform the 2008 Mumbai, India, terror assault that killed 175 individuals.
He additionally introduced a discount in “India’s unfair very sturdy tariffs that restrict U.S. entry into the Indian market.” Earlier Thursday, Mr. Trump signed an order calling for reciprocal tariffs on nations that impose them on the U.S.
SEE ALSO: Trump says U.S. will increase military sales to India, may provide stealth jets
Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi have had a pleasant relationship, although Mr. Trump has slammed the Indian chief on his tariffs. On the marketing campaign path in September, Mr. Trump known as India “a really huge abuser” on tariffs. Throughout his first administration he referred to India as “tariff king.”
The U.S. is India’s largest buying and selling accomplice, with the U.S. importing $45.7 billion extra from India than it exported there in 2024, in accordance with the Workplace of the USA Commerce Consultant. And U.S. imports from India accounted for about 2.7% of all imported items final yr.
Throughout Mr. Trump’s first administration, he visited India in 2020, the place he was cheered at a cricket stadium. The yr earlier than, Mr. Trump held a Howdy Modi rally with the Indian prime minister in Houston.
Mr. Trump stated the 2 leaders reached an vitality settlement that “will restore the USA as a number one provider of oil and fuel to India.”
“This can convey secure, clear and reasonably priced electrical energy to tens of millions of Indians, and tens of billions of {dollars} to the U.S. civilian nuclear business in India,” he stated, including that additionally they spoke about synthetic intelligence developments.
Mr. Modi thanked Mr. Trump for welcoming him to the White Home and talked extremely of the renewed relationship.
SEE ALSO: Trump defends reciprocal tariffs as he warns India of U.S. levies
“President Trump’s management has been instrumental in nurturing India — U.S. ties and making them vibrant,” Mr. Modi stated by the use of translator. “I may really feel immediately the identical enthusiasm, the identical vitality, the identical dedication that we had labored with throughout our first time period.”
He stated there was a “deep mutual belief” between the 2 nations and that they each have the “resolve to achieve new targets.”
He adopted the “Make America Nice Once more” slogan as his personal, saying India is working to “Make India Nice Once more.”
“When America and India work collectively, that’s when it’s MAGA plus MIGA. It turns into mega — a mega partnership for prosperity,” he stated.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi set a goal of doubling bilateral commerce to $500 billion by 2030 and mentioned a forthcoming mutually helpful commerce settlement.
Mr. Modi stated the U.S.-India relationship can “form a greater world.”
He stated the 2 nations are working collectively to battle in opposition to terrorism, and introduced new consulates in Los Angeles and Boston.
Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump conferred within the Oval Workplace forward of the joint press convention. Mr. Modi congratulated Mr. Trump on profitable the November election. Mr. Modi is the fourth official world chief to satisfy with Mr. Trump in his second administration.
The Indian chief has been in Washington since Wednesday, and met with newly sworn-in Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. He had beforehand met with Vice President J.D. Vance in France on the international convention on synthetic intelligence.
Mr. Modi additionally met with Elon Musk, one in every of Mr. Trump’s high allies and head of the Division of Authorities Effectivity, forward of assembly with the president.
In an X publish he stated the assembly with Mr. Musk was “excellent.”
“We mentioned numerous points, together with these he’s captivated with akin to area, mobility, know-how and innovation,” he stated. “I talked about India’s efforts in direction of reform and furthering ‘Minimal Authorities, Most Governance.’”
In one other publish, he stated he met with Nationwide Safety Adviser Mike Waltz, calling the assembly “fruitful.”
“He has at all times been an incredible pal of India. Protection, know-how and safety are vital features of India-USA ties and we had an exquisite dialogue round these points,” he stated. “There’s sturdy potential for cooperation in sectors like AI, semiconductors, area and extra.”
