Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the United States on February 12-13 at the invitation of President Donald Trump, as announced by India’s foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, on Friday, February 7.
During the trip, Modi will engage in bilateral discussions with Trump in various formats, focusing on key aspects of the India-US strategic partnership, Misri shared in a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefing.
This announcement comes amid ongoing controversy regarding the deportation of 104 Indian immigrants by Washington, who were sent to Amritsar as part of Trump’s immigration policies.
While in the US, Modi is also expected to meet with business leaders and engage with the Indian community.
The visit will further strengthen the already close relationship between the two leaders, with Misri highlighting that Modi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump after his election victory.
“During the first term of Trump, PM Modi visited US on two occasions (2017 and 2019). He was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory. He also interacted with Trump following his inauguration during which the US President invited him,” Misri said.
Potential Agenda Issues
Given the opposition's criticism in India over the treatment of deportees from the US, the issue is likely to be on the agenda during the upcoming Modi-Trump meeting.
Bilateral trade is another key topic that may be discussed, as India seeks to strengthen trade ties with the US and simplify the process for its citizens to obtain skilled worker visas.
The US remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $118 billion in 2023-24 and India recording a trade surplus of $32 billion.
Additionally, India aims to prevent the imposition of tariffs that Trump has previously threatened, citing high duties on US products.
Prime Minister Modi's Visit to France
Before traveling to Washington, Prime Minister Modi will visit France from February 10 to 12. During his visit, he will co-chair the AI Action Summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and tour Cadarache, home to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, in which India is a partner.
While speaking to the media, Misri stated, as reported by ANI, “At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting France from 10th to 12th February 2025. This visit is on the occasion of the organization of the Artificial Intelligence Summit that France is organizing and the Prime Minister will co-chair this AI Action Summit alongside President Macron of France.…."
“Prime Minister will arrive in Paris on the evening of the 10th of February. He will that evening attend a dinner that is being hosted by President Macron at the Élysée Palace in honour of visiting heads of government and heads of State. The dinner is also likely to be attended by a large number of CEOs from the tech domain and a number of other distinguished invitees to the summit," Misri stated.
"The following day on 11th February, the Prime Minister will co-chair the AI Action Summit along with President Macron...This is the third such high-level summit that is being held in the very recent past. The first of these was in the UK in 2023, the second one in the Republic of Korea in 2024 and now this one in France..,” he added.
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