Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attempt to iron out issues related to bilateral trade and seek US investments in India’s civil nuclear energy when he meets President Donald Trump next week, according to Bloomberg, Report informs.
The prime minister will visit Washington from February 12 to February 13, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters Friday. “We expect a more intense and continuing discussion on tariffs,” he said.
Modi’s administration has delivered a rapid series of concessions to the White House on issues core to Trump’s agenda, offering an early picture of how New Delhi plans to deal with the new president as he slaps tariffs on rivals and allies alike. The South Asian nation has cut import tariffs in its budget on a range of products, including motorcycles made by Harley-Davidson Inc.
The visit within three weeks of President Trump assuming office “shows the importance of the relationship and also the bipartisan support for the India-US relationship,” Misri said.
India has also started taking back unlawful migrants from the US, complying with one Trump’s core demands. The US has identified another 487 Indians in the final removal list so far, Misri said.
The first batch of over 100 Indian citizens were sent back home on a US military aircraft on Wednesday. While India has vowed to curb illegal immigration to the US, it has flagged any mistreatment of Indian nationals during their deportation.
India will also discuss cooperation in advanced and small modular nuclear reactors with the US during the meeting of the two leaders next week, Misri said.
Modi’s government is seeking to amend the country’s nuclear liability law, a measure that could attract companies such as GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Electricite de France SA and Westinghouse Electric Co. to supply reactors for building mega power plants.
“Small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors are subject of discussion both with France and US, and we expect these discussions to progress in the coming months,” Misri said.