Ahead of Trump meeting, Modi connects with Musk, top US officials, talks tech and trade

A caller defence framework, a just commercialized woody successful 2025 and continuation of the practice connected captious technologies are connected the array astatine the gathering betwixt Modi and Trump connected Thursday day section clip (early Friday India time).

Modi — who arrived successful Washington DC precocious past nighttime — began his sojourn by gathering recently appointed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, conscionable hours aft her confirmation.

With Gabbard — who heads the full US quality assemblage of 17 quality agencies including the CIA — the discussions focused connected “enhancing quality practice successful counter-terrorism, cybersecurity & emerging threats,” the Ministry of External Affairs authoritative spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said connected X.

“Met USA’s Director of National Intelligence, @TulsiGabbard successful Washington DC. Congratulated her connected her confirmation. Discussed assorted aspects of the India-USA friendship, of which she’s ever been a beardown votary,” Modi posted connected X.

With NSA Mike Waltz, defence, exertion and information dominated the speech and the absorption was connected practice successful AI, semiconductors and space. “Had a fruitful gathering with NSA @michaelgwaltz. He has ever been a large person of India. Defence, exertion and information are important aspects of India-USA ties and we had a fantastic treatment astir these issues. There is beardown imaginable for practice successful sectors similar AI, semiconductors, abstraction and more,” Modi posted connected X.

A connection by the MEA said: “The discussions touched upon ways to further deepen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, with a absorption connected strategical technologies, arsenic good arsenic defence concern practice and civilian atomic vigor with an accent connected tiny modular reactors, and counterterrorism. They besides discussed international, and determination issues of communal interest.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Tesla CEO and DOGE main Elon Musk and household successful Washington DC connected Thursday. (PIB)

With Musk, world’s richest antheral and proprietor of Tesla, SpaceX and X who leads the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, Modi discussed “space, mobility, exertion and innovation”.

“Had a precise bully gathering with @elonmusk successful Washington DC. We discussed assorted issues, including those helium is passionate astir specified arsenic space, mobility, exertion and innovation. I talked astir India’s efforts towards betterment and furthering ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,” Modi posted connected X.

Modi’s two-day sojourn to the US comes amid concerns successful New Delhi implicit Trump’s assertive positioning connected migration and tariffs. With Trump’s reciprocal tariff policy, Modi’s cardinal precedence is apt to beryllium to pre-empt immoderate punitive commercialized enactment by Washington against India.

Trump medication officials said they are moving guardant with talks connected a bilateral commercialized deal, and they hoped to person a woody successful spot this year. They would similar to spot much defence and vigor income to equilibrium the commercialized deficit. India and the US person bilateral commercialized of astir US$ 200 billion, and India has a commercialized surplus of astir US$ 40-50 cardinal successful its favour.

His sojourn comes amid discussions connected commercialized tariffs, migration policies, and strategical alignments, arsenic Trump pushes a pugnacious stance connected China and planetary trade. With migration and tariff policies nether scrutiny, India seeks to fortify its presumption successful bilateral talks. (Photo: @narendramodi/ X)

“We envision a stronger defence partnership, that’s procurement and moving guardant connected things similar defence exercises,” a US medication authoritative said.

While sources said that a caller defence model is apt to beryllium announced, the India-US defence practice is based connected “New Framework for India-US Defence Cooperation” which was renewed for 10 years successful 2015.

The 2 sides are expected to proceed practice connected imaginable threats from China and however to fortify the Quad concern to beforehand stableness and bid crossed the Indo-Pacific.

The Trump medication is besides keen to merchantability US vigor to India, arsenic this has the imaginable to bring down the commercialized deficit, US officials said. The US is India’s sixth largest vigor commercialized spouse and India’s hydrocarbon commercialized with the US was US$ 13.6 cardinal successful FY 2023-24.

A commercialized deal, wherever some sides are capable to marque concessions connected tariffs and marketplace access, is expected to trim the commercialized shortage arsenic well, sources said. In this context, the Trump medication besides feels that India tin usage the accidental presented by the tariffs connected China.

The Modi-Trump gathering comes a time aft the US President spoke to some Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful a bid to extremity the Russia-Ukraine war. This would beryllium the archetypal bilateral talks betwixt the 2 leaders aft Trump assumed the presidency for a 2nd word past month. The 2 leaders person spoken connected the telephone doubly since November past year.

“The President, I think, volition invited a speech with respected satellite leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, astir however we tin constructively determination towards bid successful Europe,” said the Trump medication official.

Modi’s sojourn besides comes days aft the Trump medication deported 104 amerciable Indian immigrants successful handcuffs and shackles connected a subject aircraft, triggering outrage successful India. India would privation the US authorities to dainty the amerciable immigrants humanely, and to not fto the contented of amerciable migration interaction the ineligible channels, including the H1B visa programme.

After his arrival, Modi posted connected X: “Landed successful Washington DC a abbreviated portion ago. Looking guardant to gathering @POTUS Donald Trump and gathering upon the India-USA Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Our nations volition support moving intimately for the payment of our radical and for a amended aboriginal for our planet.” He was received by Acting Chief of Protocol successful the US administration, Abby Jones.

Modi is staying astatine the Blair House, the US statesmanlike guesthouse astatine the bosom of Washington DC. His meetings successful Washington DC awesome that helium is reaching retired to the influential players successful the Trump administration. He besides met entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who was earlier 1 of the Republican Presidential candidates and is present aspiring to tally for the Ohio Governor’s position.