Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-profile bilateral meeting with United States President Donald Trump at the White House, where both leaders engaged in discussions on key global and strategic issues, including trade, defense, technology, energy, security, and people-to-people ties.
During the joint press conference, Trump showered praise on PM Modi, calling him a “tough negotiator” and admitting, “He is a much tougher negotiator than me. He is a better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest.”
Reciprocal Tariffs & Trade Talks
Just hours before his meeting with PM Modi, President Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs for all countries. He emphasized the need for fair trade, stating, “India has just about the highest tariff nation anywhere in the world. It’s very hard to sell into India because they have trade barriers, very strong tariffs.” Trump added that the US would now impose reciprocal tariffs on countries, including India.
However, the US President acknowledged that the trade challenges with the European Union and China were more severe than with India, citing unfair practices and high tariffs. “The European Union is very difficult for us. They tax our companies at levels that nobody has ever seen before,” he said.
#WATCH | Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump says, "He (PM Narendra Modi) is a much tougher negotiator than me and he is a much better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest."
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025
(Video: ANI/DD) pic.twitter.com/V8EzU0FfE9
Strengthening India-US Ties Across Sectors
PM Modi and President Trump discussed deepening the India-US bilateral partnership, with a focus on defense and energy cooperation. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister’s Office stated, “PM @narendramodi and @POTUS @realDonaldTrump held productive discussions in Washington DC. They deliberated on ways to strengthen the India-US partnership across various sectors.”
Trump also shared images from the meeting, reinforcing the significance of the discussions. “President Donald J. Trump and Indian Prime Minister @NarendraModi,” he wrote.
A Warm Welcome at the White House
Earlier in the day, Trump personally welcomed PM Modi at the West Wing lobby of the White House, where the two leaders exchanged a warm hug. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared a picture of their greeting on X, reflecting the camaraderie between the two leaders.
President Trump reiterated that he shares a “wonderful relationship” with PM Modi, stating, “It is a great honor to have him at the White House. We have kept our ties strong over the years and have big things to discuss.”