India News
Modi in US, to meet Trump
Narendra Modi meets U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, 26th June 2017, in a White House visit that will allow the leaders to build personal rapport but is less certain to produce significant progress on issues such as immigration.
On his presidential Twitter account. Trump wrote on Saturday:
“Look forward to welcoming India’s PM Modi to @WhiteHouse on Monday. Important strategic issues to discuss with a true friend!”
Modi is likely to lobby Trump on visas for technology workers. He’s also expected to seek assurances on the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative that facilitates U.S. arms technology transfers to India.
Modi in a statement on Twitter after he landed in Washington thanked Trump for “the warm personal welcome. Greatly look forward to my meeting and discussions with you.”
Modi will also attempt to advance discussions on buying 100 armed Predator drones made by California-based General Atomics, and getting U.S. help with India’s plans for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, according to Indian defense ministry sources. Separately, a sale of unarmed patrol drones has been approved
ahead of Modi’s arrival, a General Atomics official said.
The two leaders may pledge deeper defense cooperation, while also discussing a harder line on Pakistan, terrorism in South Asia, and China’s role in the region. A White House official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said that the U.S. seeks to treat India as a major defense partner, like other close allies.
Deeper Understanding
Trump and Modi have spoken twice on the phone, the official said, insisting that the new president has not ignored India. Monday’s meeting will help deepen Trump’s strategic understanding of the country, the official said.
However, there are fundamental differences between them on issues including the H-1B visas, used by many Indian IT companies, and the Paris climate accord, which India supports and Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from.
“I would expect a brief, friendly meeting that sets the right tone, but without a lot of detail or substance,” said Dhruva Jaishankar, a foreign policy fellow at Brookings India.
Trump was looking forward to advancing common priorities on fighting terrorism, promoting economic growth, and expanding security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement earlier this month.