WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will try to avoid the wrath of US President Donald Trump over high tariffs and immigration during their upcoming meeting at the White House on Thursday.
Trump has unapologetically weaponised tariffs against friends and foes since his return to power.
Modi will also hold a joint press conference with Trump, the White House said. This is a rare move as the Indian premiere seldom answers questions from reporters despite being an avid social media user.
Modi has also offered tariff concessions to the US ahead of his visit, with New Delhi cutting duties on Harley-Davidson, the American motorcycle manufacturer whose struggles in India have annoyed Trump.
India last week also accepted a US military flight carrying 100 migrants as part of Trump’s immigration strategy.
Trump has previously criticised India over trade, referring to the world’s fifth-largest economy as the “biggest tariff abuser.” Trade has become his primary foreign policy focus in his new term.
While much of the public’s attention has been on migrants from Latin America, India ranks third in terms of undocumented immigrants to the United States, following Mexico and El Salvador.
Indian activists recently burned an effigy of Trump after migrants on a US-bound flight were shackled for the entire journey, and the opposition accused Modi of showing weakness. However, one topic Modi is likely to avoid is his record on the rights of Muslims and other minority groups.
Modi is the fourth world leader to visit the White House since Trump’s return to power, following the prime ministers of Israel and Japan and the king of Jordan.
At the 2023 event with Biden, Modi denied claims of religious discrimination in India in response to a question. His statement was challenged and rejected by rights advocates, who have documented the abuse of minorities in the South Asian country.
Canada, Mexico, and the EU on Tuesday denounced Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, which has caused fears of a wider trade war.
Trump signed executive orders to impose 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminium imports starting March 12, prompting a wave of strong reactions. Both the European Union and Canada pledged to respond firmly.
It is pertinent to mention that Donald Trump humiliated Modi by not inviting him to his oath ceremony.
