Trump and Modi discuss trade, defense cooperation at White House
President of the United States Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met at the White House, where they discussed efforts to ease tariffs, address trade issues, and bolster defense cooperation.
Despite Trump’s warning that India would not be exempt from higher tariffs, the meeting on Thursday marked progress in trade talks.
A joint statement after the meeting said that Washington’s approval of India’s recent measures to reduce tariffs on select U.S. goods and expand market access for U.S. agricultural products.
Both sides agreed to pursue negotiations for a trade deal by fall 2025, with an initial agreement possibly reached within the next seven months, according to India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
On defense, Trump announced that the U.S. would increase military sales to India, including the eventual provision of F-35 stealth fighter jets. Modi, in turn, proposed doubling bilateral trade with the U.S. to $500 billion by 2030.
While India is keen to boost its defense purchases from the U.S. and explore potential energy imports, Misri said the F-35 deal is still in the proposal stage, with no formal process initiated. The White House did not comment on the specifics of the deal.
Credit: VOA
