If Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to Washington this week, his main objective was to persuade his “friend,” US President Donald Trump, to exempt India from the sweeping tariffs Trump has imposed since taking office.
In his first month in office, Trump introduced tariffs on countries including Canada, Mexico, and China, although some have since been paused. He also signaled that many, if not all, of the US’ trading partners might face similar actions.
From a trade perspective, India was a prime target.
The ongoing trade tensions between the two nations have been a source of frustration for President Trump. During his first term, he labeled India the “tariff king,” citing that India imposes tariffs as high as 100% on certain US products.
For decades, the US has imported more from India than it has exported to India, creating a consistent trade deficit. In 2024, India exported over $87 billion worth of goods to the US, while it imported only $42 billion.
In his meeting with Trump, Prime Minister Modi was hoping that the close relationship between the two leaders might result in India receiving a tariff exemption.
However, Trump’s recent announcement just before their meeting made it clear that India would not be exempt. Trump revealed a plan for reciprocal tariffs, meaning the US would impose tariffs equivalent to those charged by other countries on US imports.
During a press conference after the meeting, Trump made his feelings on India’s tariff system clear, criticizing India’s high trade barriers. He mentioned, “It’s very hard to sell into India because they have trade barriers, very strong tariffs,” and stated that it was a major issue. Despite this, Trump indicated that his new tariff approach may soften his stance on the matter, as “whatever India charges, we charge them.”
The two leaders agreed to work together to resolve their trade differences, with a goal of crafting a “mutually beneficial” trade deal that could more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Modi also indicated that India would increase its oil and gas imports from the US to bolster the country’s energy security and buy more military equipment, including possibly F-35 stealth jets, though that was still a proposal.
In an unusual moment, Modi introduced a new phrase that some saw as inspired by Trump’s own slogan. Comparing India’s vision of development to “Make America Great Again,” Modi coined the term “MIGA” for “Make India Great Again.” The two leaders then referred to their vision for collaboration as “MEGA,” though it was unclear what the “E” stood for.
Modi also expressed admiration for Trump’s commitment to national interests, which he said he shared when it came to India’s priorities. However, the issue of illegal immigration from India to the US continues to create friction. The US recently deported over 100 Indian nationals, which sparked political controversy in India. Modi affirmed that India would take back any of its citizens found to be living illegally in the US and emphasized both countries’ responsibility to shut down the networks enabling illegal immigration.
In a significant development, Trump announced that the US would extradite Tahawwur Rana, a key figure involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to India. Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian, is accused of aiding the terror group responsible for the attacks, which killed 175 people. Modi thanked Trump for the extradition and vowed that Indian courts would take appropriate action.
The press conference had its share of awkward moments, including an exchange between Trump and an Indian reporter. When asked about groups in the US advocating for separation from India, Trump misinterpreted the reporter’s accent, asking him to “go louder.” He later clarified that his difficulty was not with the reporter’s volume, but with his accent, causing some awkwardness during the press conference.