India is preparing to implement additional tariff reductions on American goods before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., this week. The move comes as both nations attempt to navigate concerns over trade tensions and visa policies for Indian skilled workers.
Modi will be the third foreign leader to be welcomed by the White House since Trump began his second term last month, following visits from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Japan’s Shigeru Ishiba. His trip takes place against the backdrop of rising anger in India over the recent deportation of more than 100 undocumented Indian migrants from the U.S.
Foreign policy experts believe that Modi and Trump will focus discussions on immigration, trade, and arms deals, with China also expected to be a key topic. Trump has sought India’s support in countering China’s growing influence in the region.
According to Reuters, citing unnamed government officials, Modi’s administration is preparing further tariff reductions to bolster U.S. exports to India and avert a potential trade war. The cuts follow a recent decision by the Indian commerce ministry to lower duties on high-end motorcycles, reducing levies on bikes with engines above 1,600cc from 50% to 30% and on smaller models to 40%, in response to Trump’s longstanding demand regarding import taxes on motorcycles such as Harley-Davidson.
Before departing for France and the U.S., Modi expressed optimism about his meeting with Trump, stating, “I look forward to meeting my friend President Trump. This visit will be an opportunity to build upon the successes of our collaboration in his first term and develop an agenda to further elevate and deepen our partnership, including in the areas of technology, trade, defence, energy, and supply chain resilience.”
The announcement of Modi’s visit coincided with the arrival of a U.S. deportation flight carrying 104 Indian migrants to the northern city of Amritsar. The individuals, ranging in age from 4 to 46, were reportedly shackled and chained during transit, a development viewed as embarrassing for India and Modi, who has often highlighted his close ties with Trump.
Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, a key component of his election platform, has led to an increase in deportations. Bloomberg News reported that India has already committed to repatriating nearly 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals from the U.S. The Pew Research Center estimates that 725,000 illegal Indian immigrants currently reside in the United States.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed concerns over the treatment of deportees in parliament, stating, “It is standard practice for U.S. authorities to restrain deportees, but this wasn’t done to women and children on the plane.” However, this claim was challenged by some of the returned migrants, who asserted that even women were shackled during the flight.
Jaishankar also noted that India is actively engaging with the U.S. government to ensure deportees are not mistreated in transit. Meanwhile, Trump has expressed confidence that India “will do the right thing” regarding illegal immigration.
In addition to addressing trade tensions, India hopes to secure assurances from the Trump administration on legal migration pathways, particularly concerning student visas and H-1B visas for skilled workers. Indians account for nearly three-quarters of the 386,000 H-1B visas issued in 2023. These visas are primarily granted to professionals in technology, healthcare, engineering, and finance sectors.
Trump has indicated support for skilled immigration, stating, “I like very competent people coming into our country even if that involves them training and helping other people that may not have the qualifications they do.” However, New Delhi remains concerned about Trump’s broader stance on Brics, an economic alliance that includes India and China.
Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explained India’s strategic approach, stating, “India’s posture of appeasement is not unique, but it’s very clever. By making preemptive concessions on relatively minor issues, governments can allow Trump to put quick wins on the board without enduring too much pain themselves.”
Trump, for his part, has praised Modi, calling him a “great leader” and affirming that the two nations are “committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership.” However, he has also criticized India’s trade policies in the past, accusing the country of imposing excessive tariffs and even referring to it as a “tariff king.”
During a phone conversation with Modi last week, Trump emphasized the necessity of “moving towards a fair bilateral trade relationship,” according to a White House readout. India, in turn, has worked to prevent a trade conflict with the U.S., its largest trading partner.
Trump has already initiated a trade war with China, with both nations imposing retaliatory tariffs on various goods. Additionally, the U.S. president has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Brics nations if they attempt to introduce an alternative currency to challenge the U.S. dollar’s dominance.
Defense agreements are also expected to be a significant point of discussion during Modi’s visit. Trump has urged India, the world’s largest arms importer, to purchase more U.S.-made military equipment. Last month, he encouraged Modi to increase India’s acquisitions of American security technology while also working toward a more balanced trade relationship.
Negotiations between India and the U.S. are already underway for the co-production of Stryker combat vehicles, manufactured by General Dynamics and used by the American military. Additionally, the two nations are reportedly finalizing a deal to co-produce fighter jet engines in India for the Indian Air Force, an agreement that was initially reached in 2023.
Sanjeev Kumar, India’s defense production secretary, acknowledged the ongoing discussions, stating, “We certainly wish to expedite the transaction which we would like to have with the United States.”
Despite India’s cooperative stance, some analysts warn that making too many concessions to Trump may lead to further U.S. demands. Amitendu Palit, an economist at the National University of Singapore, cautioned, “Trump’s trajectory is if you agree to him once, you can’t be sure that it is done forever, because he will come back asking for a higher price. That’s a challenge.”
As Modi and Trump prepare to meet, the discussions are expected to cover a broad range of issues, including trade, immigration, defense collaboration, and geopolitical challenges. While India seeks to secure its interests in legal migration and trade stability, the U.S. is likely to push for greater economic and military cooperation. The outcome of the meeting will determine the trajectory of Indo-U.S. relations under Trump’s second term.