WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes bearing gifts as he meets Donald Trump on Thursday (Feb 13), hoping that concessions on tariffs, fresh business deals and the prospect of cooperation with China will deter a trade war.
Trump welcomed Modi to the White House hours after he unveiled a roadmap for reciprocal tariffs on every country that puts duties on US imports, his latest trade salvo directed at American friends and foes that the White House says will strengthen economic and national security.
India may not be exempt: Although Trump had a warm relationship with Modi in his first term, he has called India a “very big abuser” on trade and his earlier levies on steel and aluminium hit India particularly hard.
“India’s a very hard place to do business because of the tariffs,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, before Modi arrived.
