NEW DELHI: In a significant diplomatic engagement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with US President Donald Trump today, marking one of the earliest high-level interactions of the Trump administration. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor emphasized the importance of this meeting, highlighting its strategic implications for India-US relations.
“It’s fairly significant that our Prime Minister is one of the first world leaders to meet President Trump. That’s a good sign,” Tharoor said. “If I am not mistaken, he is the fourth head of government to arrive in Washington, and the Trump administration is not even one month old. So this is a very significant thing.”
While the specific agenda of the talks remains undisclosed, Tharoor underscored key issues that India would likely prioritize. “There are trade issues with Trump talking about tariffs. There are issues to do with the H-1B visas for legal Indian immigration. There are issues concerning the manner in which illegal immigrants were sent back and treated in very inhumane ways. That will also have to be addressed.”
Tharoor also pointed to global geopolitical concerns that could feature in the discussions. “There may be some conversations, who knows, on Ukraine. PM Modi has been to both Ukraine and Russia. President Trump took an initiative today with both countries. So there are a lot of issues. It is difficult for us to sit here and guess what they might discuss. I think we should wait for the readout.”
Reflecting on India’s growing role in global alliances, Tharoor noted, “There is, for example, the development of the Quad that may come up. India is supposed to be hosting a Quad summit. Where will that go? Will Trump agree to come to India? So many issues. Let’s wait and see.”
The meeting underscores India’s early engagement with the new US administration, setting the stage for critical discussions on trade, immigration, and global security concerns.