U.S. President Donald Trump has extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a visit to the White House next week, a White House official confirmed. The announcement came just hours after a U.S. military aircraft departed to return deported migrants to India.
Trump and Modi last spoke on January 27, during which they discussed immigration, the importance of India increasing its purchases of American-made security equipment, and ensuring fair bilateral trade relations.
As a key U.S. strategic partner in countering China’s influence, India is eager to strengthen trade ties with Washington and secure easier access to skilled worker visas for its citizens.
Additionally, India hopes to avoid the tariffs that Trump has previously threatened, citing India’s high import duties on U.S. goods.
The United States remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade surpassing $118 billion in 2023–24. India maintained a trade surplus of $32 billion during the same period.
