F-35 jets, energy deals, and trade talks: PM Modi, President Trump meet to strengthen India-US ties

They also agreed to discuss a trade deal, and announced that a new defence framework will be arrived at. He also said that the US administration has approved extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana.

Defence partnership reaches new heights

“Starting this year, we’ll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We’re also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F 35 stealth fighters,” Trump said, after the meeting with Modi.

Explaining about what transpired during the meet, the US President said: “As we deepen our defence partnership, we will also strengthen our economic ties and bring greater fairness and reciprocity to our trading relationship as a signal of good faith. Prime Minister Modi recently announced the reductions to India’s unfair very strong tariffs that limit us access into the Indian market, very strongly. And really, it’s a big problem.”

“I must say, India imposes a 30 to 40 to 60 and even 70% tariff on so many of the goods, and in some cases, far more than that. And as an example, a 70% tariff on US cars going into India, which makes it pretty much impossible to sell those cars today, the US trade deficit with India is almost $100 billion and Prime Minister Modi and I have agreed that we’ll be getting negotiations to address the long running disparities that should have been taken care of over the last four years, but they didn’t do that in the US India trading relationship, with the goal of a signing an agreement,” he added.

Energy Deals Solidified

Batting for a level playing field, Trump said, “We can make up the trade difference very easily with the sale of oil and gas. LNG, of which we have more than anybody in the world. The prime minister and I also reached an important agreement on energy that will restore the United States as a leading supplier of oil and gas to India. It will be, hopefully, their number one supplier.”

Tackling terrorism together

The issue of illegal immigration also came up, as Prime Minister Modi said that this is not limited to India alone, and that they will work on cracking down on the “ecosystem” which is involved in “human-trafficking”.

On Tahawwur Rana’s extradition, Trump said, “I’m pleased to announce that my Administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack to face justice in India. So he’s going to be going back to India to face justice.”

Later, while answering questions, the US President stated: “We’re giving a very violent man, it seems to me. I mean, I don’t know that he’s been convicted yet, or will it be, but let’s assume he’s a pretty violent person. We’re giving him back to India immediately, and there are more to follow, because we have quite a few requests. So we work with India on crime, and we want to make it good for India, and it’s very important. So that kind of a relationship is very important to us”.

Modi also said that India and the US will stand strongly together in the fight against terrorism. “We agreed that in order to eliminate cross border terrorism, we need concrete actions,” the PM said in reference to Rana’s extradition.

He added that he was “very grateful to President Trump” for handing over somebody “who carried out genocide in India”. “That criminal is now going to be handed over to India, and I’m grateful to President Trump for this, and appropriate action will be taken in the court in India,” PM Modi said.

US and India set bilateral trade target

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the United States and India have set a target of doubling their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. “We have set ourselves the target of more than doubling our bilateral trade to attain $500 billion by 2030… our teams will work on concluding very soon, a mutually beneficial trade agreement.”

He added: “In order to ensure India’s energy security, we will focus on trade in oil and gas. Investment in energy infrastructure will also increase in nuclear energy. We also discussed increasing cooperation on small modular reactors.”

Trump, too, spoke of nuclear cooperation. “In the groundbreaking development for the US nuclear industry, India is also reforming its laws to welcome US nuclear technology, which is at the highest level, into the Indian market. This will bring safe, clean and affordable electricity to millions of Indians and tens of billions of dollars to the US civilian nuclear industry in India.”

Space, defence and technology collaboration

On defence preparedness, Modi said, “America plays an important role in India’s defence preparedness as strategic and trusted partners, we are moving forward actively towards joint development, joint production and transfer of technology in the times to come… new technologies and equipment will enhance our capacities.”

He added that they have “decided to launch the Autonomous systems industry Alliance and a defence cooperation framework for the next decade will be prepared. Defence interoperability, logistics, repair and maintenance will also be its key components.”

Stating that the 21st century is a technology-driven one and close cooperation in the area between countries that believe in democratic values can give new direction, strength and opportunities to the entire humanity, Modi said that “India and the US will jointly work in areas of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum biotechnology and several other technologies today. We also agreed on TRUST, which stands for ‘transforming relationships utilizing strategic technology’.”

He added that their focus will be on “establishing strong supply chains for critical minerals, advanced materials and pharmaceuticals”. “We have also decided to launch a recovery and processing initiative for strategic minerals like lithium and rare earths,” he added.

On space cooperation, he said, “We have had close cooperation with the US in the area of space, the Nisar satellite, developed with mutual cooperation between ISRO and NASA, will soon be flying into space on an Indian launch vehicle.”

On action on Adani Group

Modi, when asked about whether the action on the Adani Group was discussed with Trump, said, “Firstly, India is a democratic country, and our culture and our philosophy means that the entire world is a family. Every Indian is my own family member. And when it comes to such personal matters, two leaders of two countries will not get together on that topic and discuss anything on an individual matter.”

Quad and economic corridors in focus

On the Indo-Pacific, he said that “partnership between India and the US strengthens democracy and strengthens democratic values and systems. We will work together to enhance peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo Pacific, the Quad will play a special role in this. During the Quad summit scheduled to be held in India this year, we will expand cooperation in new areas with our partner countries.”

He also mentioned the India-Middle-East Europe Economic Corridor, “under the IMEC and I2U2, we will work together for the development of economic corridors and in the area of connectivity,” he said.

Trump said, “we agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the United States, connecting our partners by ports, railways and undersea cables. Many, many undersea cables. It’s a big development. It’s a lot of money going to be spent, and we spent some, but we’re going to be spending a lot more in order to stay advanced and stay the leader.”

When asked about China, he also said that there are “skirmishes” on the India-China border and that should be “stopped”, and if he could be of help, he can help.

“I think we’re going to have a very good relationship with China. I got along with President Xi very well, until COVID. That was a bridge too far. But until then, I got along with President Xi, very, very well. We were very close. As leaders go, I don’t want to be naive, but as leaders go, I think we were very close. And I think that China is a very important player in the world. I think they can help us get this war over with Ukraine and Russia. And I look at India, I do see the skirmishes on the border, which are quite vicious, and I guess they continue to go on. If I could be of help, I’d love to help, because that should be stopped. That’s been going on for a long time, and it’s quite violent. It’s quite violent, but I would hope that China and India and Russia and us and all of us can get along. It’s very important,” he said.

Russia-Ukraine war, tariffs and a praise for each other

Earlier, as Trump met Modi at the Oval Office, the US President had announced plans to firm up “some wonderful trade deals” for India.

At his Oval Office on Thursday, Trump welcomed Modi with a long handshake and a warm hug while describing the prime minister as a “great friend” for a long time.

Hours after the American President announced a new reciprocal tariff policy for all the trading partners of the US, he said, “We are going to work with India also. We have separate big trade deals to announce in the very near future.”

“We are going to make some wonderful trade deals for India and for the US,” he said replying to a question.

In his remarks, Modi congratulated Trump for becoming the president for a second term and recalled the upward trajectory of India-US relations during the American leader’s first stint at the White House.

“I firmly believe that in your second term, we will work with more speed,” Modi said. “President Trump always keeps the national interest of the US supreme and like him, I also keep the national interest of India at top of everything else,” he added.

In his remarks, the US President said: “We have some very big things to talk about; they (India) are going to be purchasing a lot of our oil and gas (from the US). We have more oil and gas than any other country in the world and they (India) need it, and we have it.”

“He is doing a great job in India and he (PM Modi) and I share a great friendship and we will continue to build on ties between our nations,” Trump added.

The Prime Minister and the President also answered questions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“I support Donald Trump’s efforts towards finding a possible solution to end the war. The world somehow feels India has been neutral during the war. But I would like to reiterate that India has not been neutral. In fact, India has been on the side of peace,” Modi said.

“When I met President Putin, I had even said that ‘this is not the era for war’. I had also said that solutions cannot be found in the battlefield. They can only come when all parties sit at the table for dialogue,” he added.