Desk:Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United States on Wednesday evening for a two-day visit, following his trip to France. He is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump, and the two leaders will hold a bilateral meeting. PM Modi departed from Marseille, France, after concluding the first leg of his international tour. He had arrived in France on February 10.
During his visit, PM Modi will engage in both one-on-one and delegation-level discussions with President Trump. Notably, Modi is among the few global leaders visiting the US after Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Experts suggest that the meeting could include discussions on several bilateral issues, including some sensitive topics.
The visit comes at a time when the Trump administration has been pushing for tariffs on imported goods. Additionally, just days before Modi’s arrival, on February 5, a US military plane landed in Amritsar, India, deporting 104 undocumented Indian immigrants, including 30 from Punjab. This move has sparked concerns in India.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor expressed his concerns in Delhi, stating that the deportation of Indian immigrants has caused anger and frustration among the Indian public. He urged the Indian government to raise the issue with Washington.
Indian officials have described Modi’s visit as a crucial step in strengthening the “strategic partnership” between the two nations. Senior diplomats emphasized that the visit would provide an opportunity to engage with the new US administration on various issues of mutual interest.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a press briefing on February 7, stated that PM Modi’s visit, at President Trump’s invitation, underscores the significance of India-US relations and highlights bipartisan support for the partnership in the US.
During his visit, PM Modi will also interact with business leaders and members of the Indian diaspora in the US. Misri mentioned that discussions will cover regional and global issues along with key bilateral topics, including trade, investment, technology, defense cooperation, counterterrorism, Indo-Pacific security, and people-to-people ties.
He further noted that the US is home to 5.4 million Indian-origin individuals and over 350,000 Indian students pursuing higher education in American universities, strengthening the bilateral relationship.
The visit is expected to add momentum and direction to India-US ties, with a joint statement likely to be issued at the conclusion of the visit.