Washington, DC: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the US capital just 23 days after President Donald Trump took office, a period that has already begun reshaping the world with his fingers on the reset button on domestic policies, international trade, and geopolitical conflicts.
Following a snowstorm last night that blanketed the city in thick layers of snow, leaving the streets around DC’s power corridors slushy and slippery, Washington was abuzz on Wednesday in anticipation of Modi’s first visit since his re-election as India’s Prime Minister for a historic third consecutive term—his ninth overall since first assuming office in 2014. This visit also marks his first meeting with Trump during the latter’s second term as the 47th President of the United States, following the interruption of Trump’s first term (as the 45th President) by Joe Biden.
Prime Minister Modi and President Trump enjoyed a strong rapport during Trump’s first term, a dynamic that will now be tested as the two leaders work to strengthen the future of India-US bilateral relations. The timing of Modi’s visit is significant, as he is the fourth world leader to meet Trump at the White House since the latter’s inauguration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japan’s Shigeru Ishiba, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II have already held meetings with the President.
This high-profile meeting takes place against the backdrop of several unprecedented and transformative decisions made by Trump in his first 23 days in office. On Wednesday, just hours before Prime Minister Modi’s arrival and after days of political wrangling, the US Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, bringing the former Democrat into Trump’s inner circle. Gabbard, a practicing Hindu and devotee of Krishna, is known to share a positive relationship with Prime Minister Modi. Her confirmation is seen as crucial by MAGA supporters in their mission to “drain the swamp”—a rallying cry against Washington’s entrenched bureaucracy that has galvanized Trump’s voter base.
Under his 100-day plan, Trump has already delivered on several key promises, solidifying his position not only in the US but also sending a clear message globally that his administration is decisively committed to the MAGA agenda in ways unmatched since the Nixon era. Since taking office, Trump has shaken up Washington by taking swift action on illegal immigration, imposing trade tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, repealing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, ending birthright citizenship, and declaring that the US will assume control of Gaza while requiring Egypt and Jordan to settle Palestinian refugees. On Wednesday, Trump held telephonic conversations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, announcing that both were agreeable to peace.
In the past week, the most explosive revelation with global implications has been the exposure of corruption within USAID, a front for the U.S. State Department and CIA. Billionaire Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has labeled USAID a criminal organization, accusing it of diverting billions of dollars to terror groups, the Wuhan biolab in China, mainstream media outlets, and foreign interventionist operations via NGOs. These moves, criticized by Democrats and left-leaning liberals as antithetical to American exceptionalism, have sparked debates about the danger of the US to become isolationist.
Against this backdrop of radical reforms, it will be interesting to observe Trump’s approach toward India, a country he has previously referred to as the “tariff king.” In a stern message against illegal immigration from India, Trump recently deported a planeload of Indian immigrants in handcuffs, sparking outrage among opposition parties in India.
However, Prime Minister Modi has demonstrated a willingness to address these issues, agreeing to accept deported immigrants and reduce tariffs on certain US products. Additionally, Tulsi Gabbard, as Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, has long been vocal about the persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus under the Younis government—an issue that resonates deeply with the Modi government.
While there appears to be significant common ground between the two leaders, including their commitment to the Quad alliance (comprising the US, India, Japan, and Australia), with India set to host a Quad summit later this year, areas of negotiation remain. Trump is expected to push India to purchase more US-made weapons and natural gas to address the trade imbalance between the two nations.
Prime Minister Modi, who will arrive in a few hours, is scheduled to stay at Blair House, the US Presidential guesthouse reserved for heads of state, which has hosted luminaries such as Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II. Over the next two days, the two countries will hold six bilateral meetings and delegation-level talks, culminating in a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump at the White House on Thursday.
As President Trump continues to steer the world in a new direction, all eyes are on Prime Minister Modi to see how he will negotiate India’s place in this evolving global order. During his 2020 visit to India, where he was accorded grand reception, Trump famously described Prime Minister Modi as a “tough negotiator.” The upcoming meetings will test that reputation once again.
