Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the United States on February 12-13 for a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump, marking his first trip since Trump’s inauguration for a second term. During their discussions, energy and defense are anticipated to be key focal points, alongside tariff-related matters that will be part of the ongoing dialogue with the United States, as noted by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in a media briefing. The United States continues to be India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade surpassing $118 billion in the 2023-24 fiscal year, resulting in a trade surplus of $32 billion for India—a figure that may not be well-received by Trump. Given the Indian rupee’s recent poor performance, labeled as the “worst performing Asian currency of 2025,” Modi is likely to prioritize maintaining stable trade relations.
The Indian government has expressed its readiness to align with the US administration’s new budgetary measures. This visit occurs amid criticism faced by the Modi administration regarding the recent deportation of 104 Indian illegal immigrants by US authorities, a move aligned with Trump’s stringent immigration policies. Trump has emphasized to Modi the expectation that India will take appropriate action concerning illegal immigration, with reports indicating that 18,000 undocumented Indian migrants have been identified in the US, although the actual number may be higher, according to Bloomberg. Modi’s agenda will include high-level meetings in both restricted and delegation formats, with senior US officials expected to participate, along with interactions with business leaders and members of the Indian diaspora.
