Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, marking their first meeting since Trump’s second term began.
High-Level Indian Delegation Accompanies Modi
PM Modi was accompanied by a high-ranking Indian delegation, including:
- External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar
- National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval
- India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra
The delegation arrived shortly after Modi, as Indian flags were placed at the White House ahead of the meeting. Notably, PM Modi is among the first world leaders to visit Washington, DC after Trump’s inauguration for his second term.
Strengthening India-US Strategic Ties
Since November 2024, Modi and Trump have had two phone conversations, and Jaishankar had attended Trump’s inauguration as PM Modi’s special envoy. During that visit, he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and participated in the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ meeting in January 2025.
A mobile billboard truck in Washington, DC, was spotted displaying pictures of Modi and Trump, with messages like:
- “Paving the Path for Progress: US-India Alliance in Developing Skilled Workforce”
- “Pillars of Friendship, Pathways of Progress.”
Modi’s Bilateral Meetings Before White House Visit
Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Modi held discussions with:
- US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk
- Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
- US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard
Modi’s France Visit Before US Arrival
Before arriving in the US, PM Modi completed a three-day visit to France, where he engaged in talks on Artificial Intelligence (AI), commerce, energy, and cultural ties. He also met US Vice President JD Vance in France on Tuesday (local time).
PM Modi’s US visit signals a deepening of India-US strategic relations, with both nations looking to expand cooperation in defense, trade, and technology.