WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Indian Prime Minister Modi and President Trump announced an ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade to over double to $500 billion by 2030. Addressing a joint press conference in Washington, Modi underlined the significance of a trade agreement that is mutually beneficial, saying, “Our teams will work on concluding very soon, a mutually beneficial trade agreement.”
Trump accepted India’s new tariff cuts on certain U.S. imports and remained hopeful that trade imbalances would be resolved. He pointed to the role of U.S. energy exports to balance the trade deficit, stating that higher U.S. oil and gas sales to India could be a key driver.
In defense cooperation, Trump said he planned to increase military sales to India, including the eventual sale of F-35 fighter jets. He highlighted the common commitment to meeting “the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.”
The two leaders also agreed to cooperate on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and semiconductors, to create strong supply chains for strategic minerals.
Even with these encouraging developments, there are issues. Trump reiterated his concerns over India’s tariffs, saying the U.S. would impose reciprocal tariffs to provide a level playing field. He said, “We are, right now, a reciprocal nation. We’re going to have whatever India charges, we’re charging them.”
