PM Modi’s US Visit: Key Issues in India-US Relations Under Trump’s Second Term

Published : Feb 11, 2025 20:40 IST - 10 MINS READ Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the US on February 13, an “official working visit”, becoming only the third foreign leader to be hosted by the White House after President Donald Trump took office on January 20, 2025. A warning of sorts was clear after the recent telephone call between Trump and Modi, a statement of which from the White House stated: “The President emphasized the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship.” The US is India’s largest destination for merchandise exports, accounting for more than 18 per cent in value. Unlike the first time when India agreed to stop the import of Iranian crude oil from May 2019 onwards, it will be interesting to see if India is willing to let go of exemptions in its Chabahar port engagement or whether India will defy US sanctions and continue its operations and development of Chabahar port, as it did with the import of Russian oil after the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022, defying the threat of US sanctions. “The Modi visit is a definite signal of how important India is to the US, and it provides an opportunity to strengthen existing mechanisms and explore new areas of cooperation.” The ongoing war in Gaza and the recent pronouncements by the US of “cleaning out Gaza” and “taking over Gaza” should be of concern to India, which has maintained a consistent policy on Palestine’s right to be an independent and viable state. The Trump administration has also threatened the BRICS, of which India is a key member, of 100 per cent tariffs if they adopt anti-US policies, especially with regard to ditching the US dollar in trade and coming up with a “BRICS currency”.