By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-02-02 00:16:10 | Updated at 2025-02-02 02:58:23
2 hours ago
US President Donald Trump’s plan to host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington later this month could boost bilateral ties between the two countries, analysts said, but only if New Delhi is ready to make concessions on thorny issues such as tariffs and immigration.
Trump announced on Monday that Modi would visit sometime in February, telling reporters the two countries’ relationship was “very good” and “productive” after a call in which he urged India to buy more American security equipment and work towards “fair” trade.
Delhi has yet to announce a specific date for Modi’s visit, though local media reports suggest mid-February.
The swift arrangement of this visit early in Trump’s new term showed India’s active engagement with Washington and that “the Trump administration continues to value India as a partner”, said Harsh Pant, an international relations professor at King’s College London.
“So I think the relationship will continue to take off from where Mr Biden left it,” he said, referring to the previous US administration.
However, analysts said that Modi must be prepared to negotiate on high import tariffs by India, an issue that Trump had underscored repeatedly.
