New Delhi/Washington, 1 February 2025: India and the United States are working to finalize an “early” visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington to strengthen their comprehensive global strategic partnership, the external affairs ministry said.
Following a phone conversation with Modi earlier this week, US President Donald Trump mentioned that the Indian leader is likely to visit the White House in February. This would mark Modi’s first bilateral trip to the US since Trump’s second term began.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed ongoing discussions but did not specify a timeline.
“Prime Minister Modi and President Trump recently had a telephone conversation. Both sides are working on an early visit of the PM to the US to further deepen India-US ties,” Jaiswal said at a media briefing.
“Specific dates will be announced at the appropriate time.”
During their January 27 call, Modi and Trump discussed fostering a “trusted” partnership, with a focus on trade, energy, and defense cooperation.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, February 12-14 was initially considered for Modi’s visit, though no final decision has been made. Modi is also scheduled to visit France on February 10-11 for the Artificial Intelligence Action summit, where Trump has been invited, though his participation remains uncertain.
If Modi’s trip to Washington takes place in February, he would be among the first world leaders to visit the US for a bilateral meeting following Trump’s reelection.
Meanwhile, concerns persist in India over Trump’s stance on immigration and tariffs, including his proposal for “100% tariffs” on the BRICS bloc, which includes India.
Jaiswal addressed India’s position on migration, stating that the country is firmly opposed to illegal migration, particularly due to its links to organized crime.
“As part of India-US cooperation on migration and mobility, both sides are engaged in efforts to deter illegal migration while expanding legal migration opportunities from India to the US,” Jaiswal said.
He added that any deportation of individuals would require verification, including nationality confirmation, by the Indian government.
“Any discussion on numbers at this stage is premature, but cooperation between India and the US in this domain remains strong and effective. This will be evident in the times to come,” he said.
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