India should get more weapons from the USA

The obligatory hug was not missing at the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Thursday in the White House. It was only Trump's fourth meeting with a foreign head of government since taking office on January 20. He and Modi are portraying themselves as old friends. This time, however, it was less spectacular than at the mass event "Howdy Modi" in Houston in 2019 or "Namaste Trump" in Ahmedabad in 2020 in front of tens of thousands of spectators. Today's topics are also more serious.

Trump had threatened Modi with trade tariffs beforehand and caused tensions by deporting Indians. But after the meeting in the Oval Office, things look more relaxed. The topics discussed included arms and trade agreements, work visas for Indian skilled workers, immigration and the exchange of innovations. The 74-year-old Modi spoke of a "momentum for the friendship between the USA and India".

At a joint press conference, the Hindu nationalist, who rarely speaks to journalists at home, emphasized a deepening of the strategic partnership. Trade between the USA and India is to be doubled to 500 billion dollars in the next five years. Both want to cooperate more closely in artificial intelligence and semiconductors. They also want to focus on building strong supply chains for strategic minerals such as lithium and rare earths.

According to Trump, Modi announced a reduction in tariffs on US products, as Trump had demanded. In order to balance the annual US trade deficit of around 45 billion US dollars with India, the country would import more oil and gas from the USA. US arms sales would also increase. "We will increase the sale of military equipment to India by many billions of dollars," said Trump. He even promised Modi the most modern F-35 stealth fighter jets.

Modi builds on previous negotiations with Trump

It was recently announced that the German ThyssenKrupp Group was the only bidder left for the billion-euro contract to build Indian submarines . The USA does not want to go away empty-handed if India increasingly decouples itself from its most important arms supplier, Russia.

"Modi and his team have been quick to recognise the historic changes in US domestic and foreign policy brought about by Trump," political observer C. Raja Mohan comments in the Indian Express . He sees it as "easy" to continue the negotiations during Trump's first term (2017-2021).

But there are concerns among India's upper and middle classes that Trump's administration will further restrict the H1B visa for skilled workers, which is popular in India. In addition, shortly before Modi's arrival, more than 100 Indians who had been shackled and illegally immigrated to the USA were deported to their homeland on a US military plane. Further flights are planned. The degrading treatment had led to great outrage in India.

In Washington, they now agreed to take action against "malicious actors, criminal smugglers and illegal immigration networks to promote mutual security between both countries." Modi had previously remained conspicuously silent.

Modi also met Musk and Gabbard

Before his meeting with Trump, Modi also spoke with his advisor, tech billionaire Elon Musk, about space projects, among other things, as well as with Tulsi Gabbard, the Indian-born intelligence coordinator who was recently confirmed by the US Congress. Trump is expected in Delhi in the autumn, when a bilateral trade agreement is to be agreed.

Under Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, relations with India had deteriorated. Biden resented the Modi government for not criticizing Russia for the war of aggression in Ukraine and instead profiting greatly from cheap Russian oil. The US also launched criminal investigations into India for alleged involvement in assassinations of separatist Sikh leaders in North America, as well as corruption investigations into billionaire and Modi friend Gautam Adani . These were now officially no longer issues.