US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were set to hold their first face-to-face meeting in Washington on Monday, both seeking to boost bilateral relations despite differences over trade, the Paris climate accord and immigration.
Their White House session promises less pomp than Modi’s previous visits to Washington – which included former President Barack Obama taking him to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in 2014. But Trump administration officials have pointed to both leaders’ impact on social media – each has more than 30 million Twitter followers – as proof that they are cut from the same cloth, and predicted the two would get along well. Trump built a Trump Tower property in Mumbai and spoke warmly of India during his presidential campaign last year.
“The White House is very interested in making this a special visit,” said one senior official. “We’re really seeking to roll out the red carpet.”
Modi will try to strengthen ties that have appeared to loosen. Indian officials, noting both men’s tendency to speak their mind, were anxious to see how they get along.
The pair will have one-on-one talks followed by statements to media without taking questions. They will then have a working dinner.
“If the chemistry is good, everything else gets sorted,” said an Indian official. “The only way is up. How much up we go depends on the leaders. If they click, we go up higher.”
While progress is expected in defense trade and cooperation, there are frictions elsewhere.
Trump, who campaigned on an “America First” platform, has been troubled by the growing US trade deficit with India. He has called for reform of the H-1B visa system that has benefited Indian tech firms. He has also set the United States on a path to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and accused India of negotiating unscrupulously over it in order to walk away with billions of dollars in aid.
Meanwhile, Indian officials reject suggestions that Modi’s “Make in India” platform is protectionist and complain about the US regulatory process for generic pharmaceuticals and rules on fruit exports to the United States. They stress the importance of the huge Indian market to US firms and major growth in areas, such as aviation, which offer significant opportunities for US manufacturers.
Rick Rossow, an India expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the frictions in US-Indian relations since Trump took office on January 20 add gravity to the meeting.
“The meeting will provide more clarity on whether the past six months have been Act 1 in a surprising friendship or Round 1 of a protracted slugging match,” he said.
Reuters
Under the Barack Hussein Obama Administration relations turned south, the all wise Obama loved to lecture other leaders with his all known intellect, and his wordly view on how Obama thought things should be. This meeting between Trump and Modi should be very interesting———in fact I think depending on how the meeting goes———–it will set up President Trump’s agenda in Asia for the rest of his Presidency.
The chinese moves were predictable of sikkim incursion,what is unpredictable is will PM Modiji change the status quo that will put emperor Xi in a tough position
Trump and USA needs a vassal India. Indians like you want to a vassal state and kiss USA ass, A marriage made in hell for the billion over poor Indians.
Both Trump and Modi dudes have a big problem in hands, but they too can offer the other a solution out of the dilemma. Trump need to find jobs he promised for a million mostly high school graduate white miners etc. But Silicon valley needs only want computer geeks and other sorts of nerds. On the other hand, Modi churns out more computer geeks with PhD, masters etc. than he can ever ever use. What the industry needs are high school graduates to works as miners and so on. What the two dudes can help each other out is to immediate arrange to swap a million high school crew hands with a million computer geeks from each side respectively.
Neither Modi nor Trump has the wisdom, the courage, the staff, and the power to do what’s best for his country.
India is not going anywhere under Modi (or anyone else under its dysfunctional political system).
The US is going to continue walking down the rotten path to political decay and financial ruin under Trump (or anyone else under its dysfunctional political system).
Ken Nguyen It is indeed in Indians DNA to look for a master to guide them. Modi will need US support so he can stand up and look like a statement while the poors of India pray to idols to rescue them from hell hole gutters.
Simon Dan The chinese have a saying we live in interesting times.20 Years back when a Indian PM goes to America or Arabia even their Junior ministers don’t meet them.Now Trump with 5 cabinet ministers gives them dinner & even Kings also entertain them in Arabia.Even business people who have revenues as big as Indian economy meets them.