As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi from Washington, he brought with him an increasing array of American requests for India to enhance its purchases of U.S. products, spanning sectors from energy to advanced defense systems. It appears that the United States is poised to become India’s primary supplier of energy and defense materials, supplanting Russia in this role. The specifics surrounding the new tariffs imposed on Indian exports remain ambiguous. India, which maintains an average tariff rate of 12% in contrast to the U.S. rate of 2.2%, is reportedly making concessions to alleviate trade apprehensions. Ongoing discussions focus on boosting U.S. agricultural exports to India, fostering investments in nuclear energy, and reducing tariffs across various sectors, including electronics, medical devices, and chemicals.
Both nations have set an ambitious goal of achieving $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030; however, President Trump remains steadfast in his objective to diminish the $45.6 billion trade deficit with India. “India has been to us just about the highest-tariffed nation in the world,” President Trump remarked at the White House, standing alongside Modi. “Whatever India charges, we’re charging them.” Despite these challenges, Modi maintained a positive outlook on immigration and trade—two critical issues on his agenda during his visit to Washington—while Trump displayed a spirit of camaraderie. It is worth noting that not all announcements made during this visit were novel; several reports from U.S. media indicated that many initiatives were continuations of policies established by the Biden administration, albeit framed as new initiatives by the current U.S. government.
The press conference featuring Prime Minister Modi alongside former President Donald Trump was notable as it represented only the third such event during Modi’s nearly eleven years in office, with no instances of him conducting a solo press conference. In 2023, facing pressure from the administration, he responded to only two questions during a joint appearance with then-President Joe Biden.During the joint press conference, Modi emphasized the significance of the Indian community in the United States, stating, “The Indian community in America is an important link in our relationship.” He announced plans to enhance people-to-people connections by establishing new Indian consulates in Los Angeles and Boston. Additionally, he extended an invitation to American universities and educational institutions to consider opening offshore campuses in India.
In a display of camaraderie, Modi drew parallels between India’s vision of “Viksit Bharat” and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign, coining the phrase “Make India Great Again” (MIGA). He later remarked, “President Trump often talks about MAGA. In India, we are working towards a Viksit Bharat, which in American context translates into MIGA. And together, the India-USA have a MEGA partnership for prosperity!” Modi also expressed gratitude to Trump, referring to him as “my friend.”However, Modi departed without making any clear commitment to uphold legal immigration to the United States, particularly concerning the H-1B visa, which is predominantly utilized by Indian nationals. While he has expressed a willingness for India to accept verified illegal immigrants as a gesture of goodwill, this stance has yet to yield any significant response from the Trump administration.
