Trump reveals reciprocal tariff plans, says India charges the most

Washington, D.C. – Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington, D.C., on Thursday for a crucial two-day visit to the United States, marking his first meeting with President Donald Trump since his return to office. The visit comes amid growing trade tensions, with Trump recently announcing reciprocal tariff plans that could impact Indian exports to the US.

A High-Profile Welcome in Washington

PM Modi touched down in the US capital in the early hours of Thursday (late Wednesday EST) and immediately engaged in a series of high-level meetings. His first stop was at the historic Blair House, where he met with key figures, including US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and the newly sworn-in Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard, who took her oath of office just hours before the meeting, discussed security cooperation and intelligence-sharing between India and the US.

Among the most anticipated interactions of the visit was PM Modi’s meeting with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. While the specifics of their discussions remain under wraps, sources suggest that AI collaboration, electric vehicles, and India’s renewable energy ambitions were on the agenda.

Modi-Trump Meeting Amid Trade Disputes

Later during his visit, PM Modi is set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade relations, defense cooperation, and technological partnerships. President Trump’s recent statements on tariffs have stirred concerns in India, as he vowed to impose reciprocal taxes on nations with high tariffs on American goods.

“No more or no less… They charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge the exact same tax or tariff… nobody knows what that number is… you go to an individual country and see what they are charging us,” Trump said while announcing his trade policy.

India, according to Trump, has some of the highest tariffs globally, a claim that has sparked debates on how the new policies will affect bilateral trade.

Meeting with Vivek Ramaswamy and US-India Relations

During his stay, PM Modi also met with Republican leader and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The Indian-origin businessman, who has been vocal about strengthening US-India ties, discussed economic partnerships and the role of Indian tech talent in America’s innovation ecosystem.

Before his US trip, Modi had concluded a two-day visit to France, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss AI collaboration, civil nuclear energy, and defense partnerships.

Expressing optimism about his meeting with Trump, PM Modi said, “This visit is an opportunity to build upon the successes of our collaboration in his first term and develop an agenda to further elevate and deepen our partnership.”

As the world watches, the outcome of Modi’s US visit will be closely monitored, particularly on trade, strategic alliances, and economic cooperation between the two democratic giants.