WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump stressed the importance of India buying more American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Jan 27), the White House said.
Trump later himself told reporters they also spoke about the issue of immigration and that Modi will visit the US sometime in February. The White House said earlier that plans for a Modi visit were discussed by the two leaders.
In what the White House called a “productive call,” the leaders discussed expanding and deepening cooperation and issues including security in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe.
Reuters reported last week that Indian and US diplomats are trying to arrange a meeting of the leaders as early as February.
Trump and Modi enjoyed warm relations in the US president’s first term, but during his campaign for re-election, Trump called India a “very big abuser” of trade and vowed to use tariffs on global imports into the US to correct imbalances.
Trump has also threatened the BRICS group of nations, of which India is a part, with tariffs if they did not accept his demand of committing to not create a new currency.
In Monday’s call, Trump “emphasised the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship”, a White House statement said.
The US is India’s largest trading partner and two-way trade surpassed US$118 billion in 2023/24, with India posting a surplus of US$32 billion.
India is also an important strategic partner in US efforts to counter China, and in a social media post on Monday, Modi called Trump a “dear friend” and said they were “committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership”.
“We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security,” Modi said.
An Indian statement said the leaders discussed technology, trade, investment, energy and defence and “agreed to remain in touch and meet soon at an early mutually convenient date”.
The White House said Trump and Modi emphasised their commitment to the Quad grouping that brings together the US and India with Australia and Japan, with India to host Quad leaders later this year.
Tanvi Madan, an India expert at Washington’s Brookings Institution, said it appeared likely Modi would visit Washington soon, with Trump reciprocating by attending the Quad summit.
“Trade and immigration issues are clearly on the Trump administration’s agenda when it comes to India,” she said.
“Its impact will depend in part on India’s response to Trump’s asks, but also how the broader debate on those issues plays out in Washington.”
Madan said India would be hoping for a changed US posture towards India’s close relations with Russia, but for the time being would have to contend with US sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine war.
