Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United States for a two-day trip starting on the 12th, where he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reports by Reuters and others, citing the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on the 9th (local time). Trump and Prime Minister Modi are expected to discuss trade and tariffs between the two countries, as well as defense cooperation. However, recent deportations of Indian illegal immigrants from the United States could pose a challenge to the bilateral relationship.
Indian Vice Minister of External Affairs Vikram Misri noted during a press conference on the 7th that the two leaders are expected to engage in "intense and sustained discussions on tariffs," adding that "Modi and Trump will discuss issues such as trade, defense cooperation, and technology."
Trump referred to Modi as "a great leader" during his presidential campaign but has also called India "a very large villain in trade," warning of tariff impositions. The United States has the largest trade relationship with India, with bilateral trade expected to exceed $118 billion in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, while India recorded a trade surplus of $32 billion. In response, India significantly reformed its tariffs on imports, such as reducing the tariff on high-end motorcycles equipped with engines larger than 1600cc from 50% to 30%, thereby avoiding the tariff bomb that Trump had threatened.
The issue is illegal immigrants. The Trump administration deported 104 illegal immigrants of Indian origin on a U.S. military aircraft on the 5th. According to Vice Minister Misri, there are up to 487 more Indians who have received deportation orders from the U.S. government. According to the Pew Research Center, as of last year, there were approximately 725,000 illegal immigrants of Indian origin in the United States.