Modi In US: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for India after wrapping up his visit to the United States, where he engaged in high-level bilateral discussions with President Donald Trump. Their talks covered a broad spectrum of issues, including trade, technology, defence, security, energy, and people-to-people relations.
Modi arrived in the US from France and met Trump late Thursday (early hours of Friday in India) for their first bilateral talks since the Republican leader began his second term as US President last month.
During the discussions, India and the US agreed to significantly expand their strategic partnership across key sectors, and also exchanged perspectives on regional and global developments of shared interest. Trump and Modi are learnt to have instructed their respective officials to conclude the negotiations for a trade deal by the fall of 2025, and it will be based on a new India-US initiative called COMPACT, or Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology.
Modi also met Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other business leaders during the visit.
Taking to X, PM Modi said he had an “excellent” meeting with Trump, and it “will add significant momentum to the India-USA friendship!”
His another posted read: “President Trump often talks about MAGA. In India, we are working towards a Viksit Bharat, which in the American context translates into MIGA. And together, the India-USA have a MEGA partnership for prosperity!”
Sharing my remarks during meeting with @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/kSqmLuxiPs
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2025
Here are seven key takeaways from the high-profile meeting between PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump:
1. Defence Partnership
A pivotal outcome of the meeting was the deepening of defence ties. The two leaders announced the extension of the US-India Major Defence Partnership with a new 10-year framework. The US agreed to expand defence sales and co-production with India, and both sides decided to pursue new procurements and co-production of ‘Javelin’ Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and ‘Stryker’ Infantry Combat Vehicles in India. The approval for India’s acquisition of six additional P-8I Maritime Patrol aircraft and discussions around the F-35 stealth fighters further highlighted the defence boost.
2. Joint Action Against Terrorism
Trump announced the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana, a long-standing demand from India. Both sides jointly condemned terrorism and called for action against Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to facilitate cross-border attacks. Trump emphasised that India and the US would work “together like never before” to counter the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.
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3. ‘Mission 500’
The two leaders set an ambitious goal to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 under the ‘Mission 500’ initiative. This comes amid Trump’s emphasis on reducing the US trade deficit with India. As a part of this economic roadmap, both sides agreed to finalise a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by 2025. The discussions also focused on increasing Indian investments in US energy and pharmaceutical sectors, ensuring a mutually beneficial trade relationship.
4. Tech Collaboration And AI Advancements
Recognising the transformative potential of emerging technologies, Modi and Trump launched the US-India TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology) Initiative. This initiative aims to accelerate cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, biotechnology, space, and quantum computing. Both countries pledged to develop an AI infrastructure roadmap by the end of the year and enable greater industry partnerships in data centres and advanced processors.
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5. Energy Security And Nuclear Cooperation
The US extended support for India to become a full member of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Both leaders agreed to fully implement the US-India 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement, including building US-designed nuclear reactors in India with large-scale localisation. Plans were also announced for collaborative efforts on small modular reactors (SMRs) to enhance nuclear energy production.
6. Indo-Pacific Strategy
Modi and Trump emphasised a rules-based international order as they reaffirmed commitment to Quad and the Indo-Pacific strategy. The two sides agreed to convene partners from the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) and the I2U2 Group within the next six months to announce new projects in 2025. They also launched the Indian Ocean Strategic Venture, a new bilateral “whole-of-government” forum that will work towards advancing coordinated investments in economic connectivity and commerce.
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7. People-to-People and Business Ties
Apart from geopolitical and strategic interests, the discussions also touched upon deepening people-to-people ties, with an emphasis on business collaborations. The Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) was launched to enhance co-production and co-development opportunities in underwater domain awareness (UDA) technologies. Major US defence companies are now in discussions with Indian firms for collaborations in surveillance systems, unmanned surface vehicles, and sonar technologies. The meeting also saw an announcement of Meta’s multi-billion-dollar undersea cable project, connecting five continents and strengthening digital infrastructure.
