Modi-Trump Bilateral Talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump met for the first time since Trump returned to the White House for a second term. The two leaders held bilateral talks where they discussed various issues during the meeting, including trade, defence, technology, energy, security, and people-to-people ties. However, the focus will be on trade, tariffs, and immigration. 

Following the discussion, the two leaders announced the COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology for the 21st Century) initiative, which aims to transform bilateral cooperation in investment, trade, defence, innovation, energy, and multilateral partnerships.

Top 10 Key Takeaways from PM Modi – Trump Meet

1. US-India $500 billion bilateral trade target by 2030

PM Narendra Modi announced that India and the US have jointly set a target of doubling their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. They are progressing with joint development, production, and technology transfer. In the coming days, the two nations will work on creating an equally beneficial trade agreement.

2. Trump’s offer of F-35 fighter jets to India

US President Trump announced the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to India.  With state-of-the-art stealth planes, India would join the elite club of countries, including NATO allies Israel and Japan. He further added that India will revise its laws to foster the entry of US nuclear technology. This energy deal will make the US a significant oil and natural gas supplier to India.

Also Read: Union Budget 2025-26: Key Highlights, Tax Changes & Sector Impact

3. US Deportation Row

PM Narendra Modi emphasised India’s approach to the illegal immigration issue and expressed India’s readiness to take back people living in the US illegally. He further highlighted the end of human trafficking is possible only if we destroy the whole ecosystem from its roots.

4. Extradition of 26/11 Mumbai Attacks Accused- Tahawwur Rana

President Trump announced the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, accused of the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack, to India, fulfilling a long-standing Indian demand for justice. PM Modi appreciated the decisions.

5. MEGA Partnership

PM Narendra Modi coined a new term, “ MEGA,” which combines “Make India Great Again” (MIGA) and “Make America Great Again” (MAGA), a phrase inspired by Donald Trump’s signature campaign slogan. India and the USA have a MEGA partnership for prosperity, mutual growth, innovation, and global influence. 

6. Trump’s Take on Indo-China Border Issue

President Trump discussed the India-China border tensions and offered to mediate. He said,”If I could be of help, I’d love to help, because that should be stopped.”

7. PM Modi on Russia-Ukraine War

PM Modi praised US President Trump’s efforts to settle the Russia-Ukraine conflict and emphasized India’s position and relationship with both countries. PM Modi said he had met the leaders of both countries and urged negotiation. “Many people are in a misconception that India is neutral, but I want to reiterate that India is not neutral; we are on a side, and that is peace.”

8. Civil Nuclear Agreement

In the joint statement, the leaders announced their commitment to fully realising the US-India 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement by moving forward with plans to build US-designed nuclear reactors in India through large-scale localisation and possible technology transfer.

Both sides welcomed the recent budget announcement by the government of India to take up amendments to the Atomic Energy Act & the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) for nuclear reactors, the statement said.

9. Civil Space Cooperation

Both PM Modi and US President Trump highlighted 2025 as a groundbreaking year for U.S.-India civil space cooperation, with plans for a NASA-ISRO effort through AXIOM to bring the first Indian astronaut to the International Space Station and early launch of the joint “NISAR” mission, the first of its kind to systematically map changes to the Earth’s surface using dual radars.

Also Read: India’s Historic SpaDEX Mission: The Future of Space

10. TRUST Initiative

PM Modi and US President Trump announced the launch of the TRUST (“Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology”) Initiative. This initiative will facilitate partnerships between academia, governments, and the private sector to drive innovation in defence, AI, semiconductors, energy, and space.

The meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and PM Narendra Modi at the White House highlighted a major milestone in the strategic partnership between India and the U.S. Their discussions demonstrated a shared understanding of vital issues, including defence cooperation, trade, and regional security.