Trump says India PM Modi expected at White House in February

Donald Trump said Narendra Modi will probably come to the White House in February, putting India’s prime minister among the first foreign leaders to visit Washington since the US president’s inauguration.

“I had a long talk with him this morning and he’s going to be coming to the White House in the next month, probably in February,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

On the call, Trump called on India to increase its purchase of US-made security equipment in a bid to balance the trade relationship between the countries, the White House said in a readout. The pair also discussed security issues in the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and Europe.

In a post on X, Modi said he congratulated Trump on his second term and said India was committed to a “mutually beneficial and trusted partnership.” 

The planning effort for the leader-level meeting comes alongside some tensions between the two nations. Late last year, the US Justice Department announced bribery charges against Indian tycoon and Modi ally Gautam Adani. The Biden Administration also charged an Indian official with attempting to orchestrate a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen in New York. 

Trump and Modi have cultivated a close relationship, with multiple meetings during the US president’s first term. The US over multiple administrations has cultivated India as a regional partner and a bulwark against a more assertive China. 

Military ties between the two countries have been steadily growing the last two decades. According to a December report by the US Congressional Research Service, India conducts more military exercises and personnel exchanges with the US than any other country.   

The US is the third largest source of India’s military hardware after Russia and France, accounting for 10% of purchases, the report said, adding that India has contracted more than $20 billion worth of US-origin defense articles since 2008.

India’s purchases include naval long range maritime surveillance aircraft, artillery guns, helicopters, specialized missiles, transport planes and radars. The two countries are finalizing the purchase of more than $3 billion worth of US-made unmanned vehicles. 

India has already signaled willingness to quickly accommodate Trump’s more hardline stance on immigration, with Modi’s government prepared to accept some 18,000 undocumented Indian migrants identified by the US, Bloomberg News has reported.  

At the same time, the Trump has criticized India for its high tariffs and protectionist policies, saying they harm US businesses, and has vowed trade duties. Modi’s government is already considering options including cutting tariffs and importing more US goods to counter potential Trump trade actions and narrow its trade surplus with the US, which was $35.3 billion for the year ended March 31.