PM Modi in US Amid Trump's 'America First' Trade Agenda - Here's Why This 2-Day Visit is Important for India

Washington: After a successful visit to France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now arrived in Washington for a short but important two-day US visit. PM Modi's US visit, on the invitation of new American President Donald Trump, comes amid the latter's newly implemented ‘America First’ trade agenda and his crackdown on illegal immigration.

Take a look at the complete schedule and why PM Modi's two-day visit to the United States is important for India…

PM Modi US Visit: Schedule, Full Agenda of Meeting with Trump

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be staying at the Blair House, which is the US presidential guest house, will be hosted by the US President on Thursday in what would be the first bilateral talks between the two leaders after Trump assumed the presidency for a second term last month.

• PM Modi and US President Donald Trump will be meeting to discuss various issues that are to impact India-US ties including trade, investment, energy, defence, technology and immigration. 
• Focus will also be on strengthening India-US cooperation and exploring the option of looking at a trade pact to avoid high tariffs and expand the overall trade basket.
• PM Modi's key priority, amid Trump's ‘America First’ tariff policy, will likely be to pre-empt any punitive trade action by Washington against India.
• Apart from some possible sector-specific outcomes, it will be interesting to see the optics and what kind of broader signal the meeting between Modi and Trump, known for their personal bonhomie, produces with sensitive issues like immigration and tariff expected to be focus of the talks.
• Another major issue on the table is set to be trade as Trump's policy on tariffs on rivals and allies alike. Modi's visit to the US comes shortly after Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on global steel and aluminium imports into the US. The move is expected to hit the Indian firms exporting steel and aluminium to the US.
• India has already indicated its readiness to adopt a more conciliatory approach on the sensitive issue unlike its hardline approach during Trump's first term. It is learnt that New Delhi may consider slashing tariffs in at least a dozen sector provided some reciprocity by the White House. 
• Modi and Trump are unlikely to discuss specifics on tariff but the two leaders may deliberate on a broader picture. The bilateral trade between India and the US was around USD 130 billion last year.
• The two leaders are also likely to touch upon overall situation in the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine and developments in West Asia. 
• Modi and Trump are likely to focus on boosting the energy ties. On February 1, New Delhi announced plans to amend its nuclear liability law and set up a nuclear energy mission.
• It is learnt that India is looking at the possibility of civil nuclear cooperation with the US in the small modular reactors (SMRs). 

Why is PM Modi's US Visit Important for India?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are known to share a warm friendship, outside their cordial official relationship but this US visit is an ‘official working visit’ for PM Modi. Amid the major shifts made by the United States ever since Trump has assumed duties of US President, PM Modi's meeting with him is crucial and will set the tone for the two India-US ties, during Trump's second term at the White House.

PM Modi and Donald Trump will be discussing India's efforts and reactions to Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration and deportation with over 100 Indian immigrants being deported from US, and another 800 to follow. While India has cooperated with the deportation, it has raised concerns over the way the immigrants had been treated by the United States and has also sought assurance from the authorities. The discussions on immigration and deportation will also impact tourism between the two countries and movement of Indians to the US for study or work in the future. 

Another major concern that will be addressed during Modi-Trump's meeting, would be the US President's ‘America First’ trade agenda and the strong tariff policy, that has majorly affected Canada, China and Mexico. US has also described India as an ‘abuser’ of tariffs' and a ‘tariff king’; 25 percent tariffs have been announced on aluminium and steel imports and there are ‘no exemptions, no exceptions’ for any country including India. This is a cause of worry for Indian companies and negotiation of a trade deal with the aim of reducing tariffs and increasing market access is likely, and also important for India.

The kind of relationship India shares with China is not a secret and this meeting between PM Modi and Donald Trump is expected to improve and strengthen defence cooperation between the countries, to help India. Several members of Trump administration including Senator Rubio and Mike Waltz are known to have a tough stance on China and a more welcoming approach towards India.

PM Modi and Donald Trump's meeting during the former's important two-day visit is going to be a fresh start for the two countries, as Trump begins his second term as US President and PM Modi continues with his third run as Prime Minister. The meet is expected to deepen the relationship between the leaders and the country and strengthen the bilateral ties, reassuring a long-term cooperation on different issues.

(Inputs from PTI)