India-US ties likely to get a boost as Trump announces Modi’s imminent US visit

Trump’s invitation for Modi’s US visit signals a strengthening of ties, but India must address tariffs and immigration issues to ensure productive negotiations

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US President Donald Trump and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi talk as they arrive for a joint news conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on February 25, 2020. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:00am, 2 Feb 2025Updated: 4:47pm, 2 Feb 2025

US President Donald Trump’s plan to host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington later this month can boost bilateral ties between the two countries, analysts have said, but only if New Delhi is ready to make concessions on thorny issues such as tariffs and immigration.

Trump announced on Monday that Modi would visit sometime in February, telling reporters the two countries’ relationship was “very good” and “productive” after a call in which he urged India to buy more American security equipment and work towards “fair” trade.

Delhi has yet to announce a specific date for Modi’s visit, though local media reports suggest mid-February.

The swift arrangement of this visit early in Trump’s new term showed India’s active engagement with Washington and that “the Trump administration continues to value India as a partner”, said Harsh Pant, an international relations professor at King’s College London.

“So I think the relationship will continue to take off from where Mr Biden left it,” he said, referring to the previous US administration.

However, analysts said that Modi must be prepared to negotiate on high import tariffs by India, an issue that Trump had underscored repeatedly.