'Masterclass For Others': CNN Praises PM Modi's Trade Negotiation Skills With Trump

Washington: A senior CNN journalist Will Ripley in a rare praise for India lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team for understanding the assignment and coming prepared for their meeting with President Trump adding the bilateral was a masterclass for other world leaders around the world to know how they should walk into negotiations with Donald Trump to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Doing the analyses of PM Modi-President Trump meeting and what each got in this high stakes meeting, CNN’s senior International Correspondent Will Ripley said, “We have seen what we previously saw with Japanese PM and now with PM Modi, a very positive meeting with President Trump, this is a masterclass for other leaders around the world to know how they should walk into negotiations with him to achieve the best possible outcome given that you have to expat."

“PM Modi arrived in Washington, gets a great welcome in DC from the Indian diaspora but as he was on the ground in US, President Trump announced reciprocal tariffs which everyone in India knows could have massive affect because of the high tariffs in the country like 70 per cent or 125 per cent on some of the luxury cars, so India actually reduced those tariffs already,” Ripley said.

PM Modi came prepared for meeting with President Trump

Praising how prepared India came, Ripley said, “Whether PM Modi knew or was expecting this reciprocal tariffs announcement which could potentially cause him to lose a lot of face when he goes back to India without making significant  progress… but at the end of this, the meeting they had, it went for long, the press conference started late, they announced the best possible outcome which the two sides gonna fastrack the negotiations on a trade deal. And India is getting some of what it wants too, like more of US investment in nuclear energy in India, F-35 fighter jets. So both of these leaders -- President Trump was able to list out all of things that US will gain and PM Modi doing the same.”

MIGA plus MAGA equals to MEGA a clever branding for Trump   

Impressed with PM Modi giving a clever spin to Trump's Make America Great Again slogan, Ripley said, “I keep going back to Make India Great Again (MIGA) and MIGA plus MAGA is MEGA, clearly they might have a PR team but this is exactly the kind of clever branding that President Trump loves, so Indians did their homework, they understood the assignment. As PM leaves, it’s looking good as it can be expected," the senior journalist concluded.

What India got from US after Modi-Trump meeting?

In a joint press conference on Thursday, PM Modi informed that India will be getting next generation F-35 fighter jets from the United States, which will be a big boost for the Indian armed forces. 

The two countries have also decided to take bilateral trade to $500 billion in the coming years. The United States will also invest more in nuclear energy projects in India.  

President Trump, in a big move, approved the extradition of 26/11 plotter Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who will be sent back to India, as US reaffirmed its support to India's fight against terrorism. 

Trump announced that both India-US will confront the radical Islamic terrorism as its a threat to the entire world. 

The United States also assured its support and commitment to build the world's biggest trade route from India-Israel-Italy and onwards to America.