Diplomats from India and the US are trying to organize a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump in February, which could be held in Washington. India is keen to boost trade ties with the US and make it easier for its citizens to get professional visas.
Sources say these two topics will be on the agenda when the two leaders meet. Trump's return to the White House has raised concerns among officials in New Delhi about tariffs on India.
Trump has described India as one of the countries that impose high tariffs on US products. He has indicated that he too is in favour of imposing tariffs. But sources said India is ready to make some concessions to Washington.
The meeting may take place in February.
Sources said India, a strategic partner of the US in its efforts to counter China, is keen to boost trade ties with the US and make it easier for its citizens to get skilled worker visas. These two topics will be on the agenda if the two leaders meet.
However, it has not been officially informed of any plan by the US to impose tariffs. India is also ready to offer incentives to attract more US investment.
Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said officials hope the upcoming meeting between the two will help positively advance relations in Trump's new term.
Trump visited India in February 2020 during his previous term. Then, he was welcomed by more than 100,000 Indians at the cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, Modi's political hometown, where he promised India "an incredible trade deal."
In 2019, Trump held a "Howdy Modi" rally with Modi in Houston, which was attended by 50,000 people, mainly Indian Americans.
Many important issues will be discussed between the two.
Laying the foundation for a new Modi-Trump meeting is also on the agenda of Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who attended Trump's swearing-in ceremony on Monday and met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The United States is India's largest trading partner and bilateral trade between the two countries will exceed $118 billion in 2023/24, with India recording a trade surplus of $32 billion.
Other topics of discussion between the two leaders will be expanding partnerships in the technology and defense sectors, sources said. Migration will be another area of discussion, as Trump has promised to crack down on illegal immigration but has said he is open to legal migration of skilled workers.
India, known for its vast pool of IT professionals, many of whom work across the world, accounts for a large share of skilled worker H-1B visas issued by the United States. The US State Department said Rubio discussed concerns related to "irregular migration" with Jaishankar on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has presented the country's general budget in the Lok Sabha.
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