On February 14, 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an exclusive meeting with the United States second-time elected President Donald Trump. Modi also met Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of Tesla, and Tulsi Gabbard, US Intel chief.
At 2:30 a.m. IST, Prime Minister Modi and President Trump engaged in a bilateral meeting at the White House. The discussions between the two leaders focused on critical issues, including trade, security, and international relations.
President Donald J. Trump and Indian Prime Minister @NarendraModi 🇺🇸🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/5w7n5uRdmL
— President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) February 13, 2025
At a joint press briefing, Prime Minister Modi announced that India and the U.S. have set a goal of reaching $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
To help reduce the trade deficit, India plans to increase imports of U.S. oil and gas. Meanwhile, former President Trump welcomed India's recent steps to cut tariffs on American goods, including motorcycles, metals, and technology products.
From fighter jets to the 26/11 attacks, here are the key takeaways from the Modi-Trump meeting.
1. Modi-Trump Meeting: MAGA + MIGA = MEGA
In a joint meeting, US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced their intention to deepen the relationship between the two countries by setting a goal to increase bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. The leaders emphasised collaboration in the economic, defence, and technological sectors.
During the meeting, Modi introduced the concept of "Make India Great Again" (MIGA), drawing inspiration from Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again" (MAGA), and described the synergy between the two as a "mega partnership for prosperity."
Both leaders agreed to focus on joint development, production, and technology transfer within the energy and defence sectors.
Modi also highlighted initiatives such as the I-MEECH economic corridor, collaboration in space through ISRO and NASA, and strengthening supply chains for critical minerals.
Additionally, he announced plans to launch an Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance, which will provide a framework for defence cooperation. Trump acknowledged India's efforts in nuclear energy reform and joint ventures in AI, semiconductors, and biotech.
2. Modi-Trump Meeting: India to Increase US Oil and Gas Imports to Reduce Trade Deficit
Following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is expected to increase its imports of crude oil and natural gas from the United States.
Trump has encouraged India to buy more American oil and gas to help reduce the trade deficit between the two nations.
Key Highlights:
- Increased LNG Imports: Indian oil and gas companies are in discussions to increase liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from the US.
- Growing Energy Ties: The agreement aims to make the US a leading supplier of oil and gas to India.
- Potential Increase in Purchases: India's oil and gas purchases from the US could grow from around $15 billion to $25 billion annually.
- Diversifying Crude Sourcing: India is diversifying its crude sourcing from countries, including the US, in response to sanctions and other factors affecting supplies from Russia.
Trade Dynamics:
- Reducing Trade Surplus: Higher energy imports from the US could signal a reduction in New Delhi’s trade surplus with Washington.
- India's Position: India is the world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil, importing over 85% of its requirements.
- US as a Supplier: The US is currently India's fifth-largest supplier of crude oil and a top supplier of LNG. However, its share in India's petroleum crude imports has declined from 4.5% in 2019 to 3.4% in 2024.
Trump's administration is looking to boost American energy production and exports. He has declared his intention to bring down energy costs and increase domestic oil and gas production.
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3. Modi-Trump Meeting: Extradition of Tahawwur Rana
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the White House, a key topic of discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump was the extradition of Tahawwur Rana.
Rana, a Pakistani Canadian, was sentenced in 2013 by a U.S. federal court to 14 years in prison for his involvement in a terrorist plot against a Danish news outlet and for providing support for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in 175 fatalities.
Modi expressed his gratitude to President Trump for ensuring that Rana, whom he described as a criminal responsible for "genocide" in India, would be handed over.
Modi assured that "appropriate actions" would be taken in Indian courts. Trump's endorsement of the extradition suggests it is imminent, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the process the previous month.
4. Strengthening Defense Ties: Provide Fifth Generation F-35 Stealth Jets
Trump announced a major boost in U.S.-India military cooperation, highlighting plans to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to India.
"Beginning this year, we will significantly increase military sales to India by several billion dollars. Additionally, we are laying the groundwork to eventually supply India with F-35 stealth fighters," he stated.
The Lockheed Martin F-35, a highly advanced fifth-generation fighter jet, was recently displayed at the Aero India exhibition in Bengaluru, showcasing its cutting-edge stealth and combat capabilities.
5. Modi-Trump Meeting: India’s Stance on Ilegal Immigration
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s position on illegal immigration, stating that India is willing to take back its citizens residing unlawfully in the U.S.
He emphasised that many of these individuals come from humble backgrounds and are often deceived with false promises before being trafficked to the United States.
Expressing support for President Donald Trump on the issue, Modi underscored the need to dismantle the entire network responsible for human trafficking.
"Our larger battle is against this entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully support India in eradicating it," he said.
His remarks follow India’s recent acceptance of 104 migrants who were repatriated on a U.S. military plane, marking the first such instance since Trump’s return to the presidency.
6. Modi-Trump Meeting: U.S.-India COMPACT for the 21st Century
The "U.S.-India COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) for the 21st Century" is an initiative launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump to drive change across key pillars of cooperation between the two countries.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the COMPACT is designed to accelerate cooperation in military partnerships, commerce, and technology.
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7. Modi-Trump Meeting: Trade and Tarrifs
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the U.S. in February 2025, trade and tariffs were high on the agenda in discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. This was Modi's fourth visit with Trump as President and his 10th to the United States as prime minister.
- Trump’s Push for Reciprocal Tariffs: Just before Modi’s visit, Trump announced new reciprocal tariffs on all nations. He stated that it was only fair for taxes and tariffs to be equal between countries. He also asked his advisors to review trade policies and hinted that new tariffs could be introduced as early as April 11.
- Reducing the U.S.-India Trade Deficit: The Trump administration wanted to lower the U.S. trade deficit with India and create a fair trade agreement in 2025. The U.S. was pushing for lower Indian import duties and more balanced trade policies.
- Trump Calls India the “Tariff King”: Trump has often criticized India’s high tariffs. He believes tariffs help boost the U.S. economy and manufacturing, creating more jobs. The White House pointed out that India’s average tariff on imported goods is 39%, while the U.S. imposes only 5% on agricultural products from MFN (Most Favored Nation) countries.
- High Tariffs on U.S. Motorcycles: A key issue was India’s 100% tariff on U.S. motorcycles. In contrast, the U.S. charges only a 2.4% tariff on motorcycles imported from India.
- Modi’s Strategy: Avoid Punitive Tariffs: India wanted to avoid harsh trade actions from the U.S. Modi aimed to lower tensions by offering trade concessions. He was expected to reduce tariffs on American goods and increase imports of U.S. energy and defense equipment.
- Trump Praises Modi as a Tough Negotiator: When asked who was the better negotiator, Trump admitted that Modi was "much tougher and better" than him.
- Concerns Over Higher Consumer Prices: Economists warned that Trump’s tariff policies could raise prices for consumers. However, Trump insisted that costs would eventually go down.
8. Modi-Trump Meeting: Focusing on Trade and the IMEC Corridor
During a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two leaders discussed trade, defence, energy, and global strategy.
A key focus was the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), with Trump calling it one of the "greatest trade routes in all of history."
Trump and Modi reaffirmed their commitment to the IMEC, which is seen as a counter to China's Belt and Road Initiative. The trade route will run from India to Israel to Italy and onwards to the U.S., connecting partners via ports, railways, and undersea cables.
9. Modi-Trump Meeting: TRUST
The Modi-Trump meeting on February 13, 2025, in Washington, D.C., resulted in the launch of the U.S.-India TRUST ("Transforming the Relationship Utilising Strategic Technology”) initiative.
This initiative aims to catalyse collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector in both countries.
The focus is on promoting the application of critical and emerging technologies in various areas, including defence, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technology, biotechnology, energy, and space.
The initiative also encourages the use of verified technology vendors and ensures the protection of sensitive technologies. A central component of the TRUST initiative is the commitment to create a U.S.-India Roadmap on Accelerating AI Infrastructure by the end of the year.
This roadmap will identify obstacles related to financing, building, powering, and connecting large-scale U.S.-origin AI infrastructure in India, along with milestones and future actions.
The U.S. and India plan to collaborate to enable industry partnerships and investments in next-generation data centers, as well as cooperation on the development of and access to compute and processors for AI.
This collaboration aims to foster innovations in AI models and build AI applications to address societal challenges, while also implementing necessary protections and controls and reducing regulatory barriers.
10. Modi-Trump Meeting: Offer on Indo-China Border Dispute
During a meeting at the White House, President Donald Trump offered to mediate the border dispute between India and China, but India declined, stating its preference for a bilateral approach to resolving issues with its neighbours.
Trump acknowledged the "quite vicious" skirmishes on the border and expressed his desire to help, but India has consistently adopted a bilateral approach in such cases, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Trump's offer came after he held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During a joint news conference with PM Modi, President Trump noted that the skirmishes were quite violent and that he would like to help because that should be stopped.
Despite past tensions over COVID-19, Trump expressed optimism about future relations with China. He also highlighted China's potential to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and emphasised the importance of cooperation among global powers.
Trump revealed past discussions with President Xi Jinping about denuclearisation and his plans to meet with Chinese and Russian leaders to explore avenues for military de-escalation, particularly concerning nuclear arms.
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11. Modi-Trump Meeting: Civil Nuclear Agreement
During a meeting at the White House on Thursday, February 13, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump agreed to move forward with the India-US civil nuclear agreement to facilitate the building of American-designed nuclear reactors in India.
Both leaders announced their commitment to fully realise the U.S.-India 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement by moving forward with plans to work together to build US-designed nuclear reactors in India through large-scale localisation and possible technology transfer.
They also decided to significantly expand energy cooperation. The civil nuclear deal, initially signed in 2008, has altered India's engagement with the U.S., creating a strategic partnership, especially in high technology and defence.
Both leaders are seeking to build large reactors and also advanced small modular reactors in India.
In a joint statement, Modi and Trump welcomed the Indian government's budget announcement to amend the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) for nuclear reactors.
They decided to establish bilateral arrangements in accordance with CLNDA to address civil liability and facilitate collaboration between Indian and US industries in the production and deployment of nuclear reactors.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to amend India's nuclear liability law and the Atomic Energy Act during the Union Budget presentation on February 1, 2025.
Certain clauses in India's Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, have posed challenges in moving forward with the civil nuclear deal's implementation.
The Modi administration has created a new 'Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat' and is pushing for amending laws that are limiting growth, with the goal of developing at least 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047.
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