The News
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India’s relationship with the US as a “mega-partnership” after meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington Thursday.
Trump, in turn, called Modi his “friend for a long time” and congratulated the prime minister for his work, The BBC reported, as the two countries agreed a deal for India to import more American oil and gas.
At a news conference, Modi made several references to Make America Great Again and said “It’s Make India Great Again - MIGA… MAGA plus MIGA...[is a] Mega partnership for prosperity.”
India is seeking to make sure “the vibes are good” with the White House, a South Asia expert told NBC News, as Delhi too is likely to be subject to the reciprocal tariffs Trump ordered for all US trading partners.
In the meeting, Trump criticized Modi for having some of the highest tariffs in the world, describing them as a “big problem,” with the Indian leader saying he was open to reducing duties on US goods — as well as repatriating undocumented Indian nationals.
With India already reliant on foreign oil, the energy deal with the US “presents a relatively low-hanging fruit for both parties”, a senior economist at Singapore’s DBS bank told the BBC.
Shortly before his meeting with Trump, the Indian prime minister also met with tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk, who is looking to expand his Starlink satellite internet in India.