Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the fourth Head of the state to have met the US President Donald Trump within a month of him assuming the office of the President of the United States of America. Upon arrival at the Oval Office, Trump greeted Modi warmly, referring to him as a “great friend” for many years. In response, Modi acknowledged Trump’s absence, saying, “We missed you a lot”. The meeting saw the two leaders engage in discussions on trade, security, and international relations. Since the two strong nations heads were meeting, the outcome of the same were keenly observed globally.
During the meeting, Modi introduced the idea of ‘Make India Great Again’ (MIGA), inspired by Trump’s well-known ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) slogan. He elaborated on the concept, stating, “The people of America are well aware of President Trump’s motto ‘MAGA – Make America Great Again.’ The people of India too are focusing on heritage and development as they move forward at a fast pace and with a firm resolve towards the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. In the language of America, it’s Make India Great Again – MIGA. When America and India work together, this MAGA plus MIGA becomes a ‘MEGA partnership for prosperity’ and it is this mega spirit that gives new scale and scope to our objectives.”
Further, Trump informed about the plans for upcoming trade agreements between the two countries. He said, “We are going to work with India also. We have separate big trade deals to announce in the very near future. We are going to make some wonderful trade deals for India and for the US.” He announced that India has agreed to import more oil and gas from the United States, aiming to reduce the trade imbalance between the two nations. However, their discussions extended beyond trade, touching on collaborations in space exploration and global security.
Clearing India’s stand on the Russia-Ukraine war, Modi said that India is not neutral but rather advocates for peace. He reiterated his efforts in engaging both Russian and Ukrainian leaders to facilitate dialogue. “I support Donald Trump’s efforts towards finding a possible solution to end the war. The world somehow feels India has been neutral during the war. But I would like to reiterate that India has not been neutral. In fact, India has been on the side of peace,” he stated.
One of the major achievement of the visit was Trump’s approval of the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, an accused conspirator in the 26/11, Mumbai terror attacks. He said, “I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters (Tahawwur Rana) and one of the very evil people of the world, having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack to face justice in India. He is going back to India to face justice.” The US State Department was evaluating the next steps regarding Rana’s extradition.
Discussing the sensitive issue of illegal immigrants, Modi affirmed that India is prepared to take back any of its nationals residing illegally in the US. He also stressed the need for a coordinated effort to dismantle human trafficking networks. “Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the citizens of India – if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back,” Modi said.
He further underscored the importance of tackling human trafficking at its root, saying: “Together, it should be the effort of the US and India to destroy such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking ends. Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, two more flights carrying the illegal immigrants have landed in Amritsar, sending a strong message about Trump’s policy on the same. But unfortunately among the deportee from Punjab many were asked to remove their turbans before boarding . It thus took away the sheen of the Modi- Trump high profile meeting . Senior Congress Leader and former I&B Minister Manish Tewari, who is Lok Sabha MP from Chandigarh tweeted on X his anguish .
If despite @PMOIndia ‘s visit to USA and meeting with @realDonaldTrump Indians are still being deported back shackled and probably handcuffed like galley slaves in ancient times there can be nothing more shameful for India and Indians .
Till the time NDA/BJP government is… pic.twitter.com/33rLbt9yVI
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) February 16, 2025
The two leaders also set an ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Modi stressed the need for an energy-secure future and stronger trade partnerships. He said, “Today, we have also set a target to increase our bilateral trade to more than double, reaching $500 billion by 2030. Our teams will work on finalising very soon a mutually beneficial trade agreement.”
As both countries navigate global shifts and geopolitical complexities, their partnership is poised to grow, driven by shared strategic interests and mutual benefits Continued dialogue and pragmatic solutions will be crucial in overcoming challenges and ensuring that this relationship flourishes in the coming years.
