The Indian prime minister will visit the US next week for talks on illegal migrants and tariffs
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump early next week during his visit to Washington, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media on Friday. The talks are expected to focus on key areas such as trade, defense, and counter-terrorism, according to New Delhi.
The two leaders spoke by phone on January 27. Trump discussed immigration and emphasized the need for a more balanced trade relationship between the two nations. On Wednesday, 104 Indians were sent home on a US military C-17 transport aircraft. A video released by US authorities showing the deportees in handcuffs and leg restraints sparked outrage in India.
India has expressed concern to the US on the deportation issue. Misri, however, said the “real cancer is the misleading of innocents to undertake illegal immigration.” New Delhi earlier vowed to crackdown on such activities. The secretary added that Washington had informed New Delhi that 487 more Indian citizens are “ready for removal” from the US and that additional deportation flights may follow.
A day earlier, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar told Parliament that deportations have been a regular practice and that hundreds of Indians who enter the US illegally or overstay their visas are deported every year. These numbers have ranged from 734 in 2009 to 1,889 in 2020 and 1,368 in 2023, according to the data he presented. Jaishankar noted that Indian authorities are always involved in such cases to ensure that deported individuals are treated appropriately.
On the trade front, Modi is likely to explore ways to strengthen India-US ties and attract American investment, particularly since economic growth shows signs of slowing down. Trump has previously urged India to purchase American-made security equipment, and Modi may revisit this issue during his visit.
In addition to his meeting with the US president, Modi is expected to meet with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who is looking to enter the Indian market with his company Tesla and is seeking regulatory approval for his Starlink satellite broadband service in India. Musk is also interested in strengthening collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
Before meeting Trump, Modi will visit France from February 10-12, where he will co-chair the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron. The summit is expected to yield significant bilateral announcements, focusing on key areas such as defense and nuclear energy.
This visit comes on the heels of India’s new nuclear energy policy announced in the recent budget, which includes a reference to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) expected to play a crucial role in the nation’s atomic energy sector. France, along with Russia, has offered New Delhi its expertise in the latest nuclear energy technologies.
