India and US trying to arrange Modi meeting with Trump next month, sources say By Reuters

By Shivam Patel

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian and U.S. diplomats are trying to arrange a February meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, two Indian sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

India, a strategic partner of the United States in efforts to counter China, wants to expand trade relations with the United States and make it easier for its citizens to obtain visas for skilled workers, two topics that will be on the agenda if the leaders meet. the sources said.

Trump’s return to the White House has raised concerns among officials in New Delhi over the imposition of tariffs on India, which he has listed as one of the countries with high tariffs on US goods and has said he favors reciprocity.

But sources say New Delhi is willing to offer some concessions to Washington, although it has not been formally informed of any plans by the US to impose reciprocal tariffs, and is also willing to offer incentives to attract more US investment in India.

Officials hope an early meeting between the pair will help get ties off to a positive start in Trump’s new term, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Trump visited India in February 2020 during his previous tenure. He was then cheered by more than 100,000 Indians at a cricket stadium in Modi’s political homeland of Ahmedabad, where he promised India an “incredible trade deal”.

In 2019, Trump held a “Howdy Modi” rally with Modi in Houston, attended by 50,000 people, mostly Indian Americans.

Laying the groundwork for a new Modi-Trump meeting is also on the agenda of Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who attended Trump’s inauguration on Monday and met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The United States is India’s largest trading partner and two-way trade between the two countries is expected to exceed $118 billion in 2023/24, with India posting a trade surplus of $32 billion.

Other topics of discussion between the two leaders will be strengthening partnership in the fields of technology and defense, the sources said.

Migration will be another area of ​​discussion, as Trump has promised to crack down on illegal immigration but has said he is open to legal migration of skilled workers.

India, known for its vast pool of IT professionals, many of whom work around the world, accounts for the majority of skilled worker H-1B visas issued by the United States.

On Tuesday, Rubio discussed concerns about “irregular migration” with Jaishankar, the US State Department said.