PM Modi Arrives in the U.S. After France Visit, to Meet President Trump and Business Leaders
Washington D.C.: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United States on Wednesday for a two-day visit after concluding his trip to France. Upon arrival, he met U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard. Before reaching the U.S., PM Modi co-chaired an AI Summit with the French President and discussed various bilateral issues.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence with a 52-48 vote on Wednesday, making her the new chief of America’s intelligence agency.
Key Meetings with President Trump and Business Leaders
On Thursday, PM Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. In addition, he will meet with several business leaders and members of the Indian community in the U.S. According to media reports, Modi’s delegation will attend six key meetings during the visit.
PM Modi’s final meeting will take place on Thursday at 4 PM (Indian time: Friday at 2:30 AM), following which he will have a formal dinner with President Trump. The two leaders may also address the media from the White House.
Discussions on Tariffs and Illegal Immigration Expected
PM Modi’s visit comes amid President Trump’s aggressive tariff policies. Recently, Trump announced new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China but later granted Canada and Mexico a 30-day exemption. While Trump has repeatedly criticized India’s high tariff rates, he has not imposed any new tariffs on India yet. Experts believe that Modi and Trump may discuss trade tariffs and the issue of illegal Indian immigrants in the U.S.
According to Pew Research, over 725,000 illegal Indian immigrants reside in the U.S. A report from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in November 2024 revealed that 20,407 undocumented Indians had been identified.
Possible Meeting with Elon Musk
Media reports suggest that PM Modi is likely to meet Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Friday (Indian time). The last-minute meeting could involve discussions about Tesla’s plans to establish an EV manufacturing plant in India. Trump and Musk may finalize decisions regarding Tesla’s expansion in the Indian market.
During his U.S. visit, PM Modi is expected to hold talks with other top business executives, potentially leading to new investment agreements between India and the U.S.
A Visit Amid Trump’s Aggressive Trade Policies
PM Modi’s visit to the U.S. coincides with President Trump’s firm stance on imposing tariffs on global trade partners. Trump has stated that his new tariff policy will be the toughest yet, emphasizing a “reciprocal tariff” system. Under this approach, any country imposing tariffs on the U.S. will face the same tariff rate from America.
If implemented, this policy could impact India, which was the U.S.’s eighth-largest exporter in 2022. Currently, India imposes an average tariff of 9.5% on American goods, whereas the U.S. levies only 3% on Indian products.
Before arriving in the U.S., PM Modi wrapped up his two-day visit to France, where French President Emmanuel Macron personally bid him farewell at Marseille Airport.
