TOI correspondent from Washington: For perennial, knee-jerk critics of Prime Minister Modi, his visit to Washington DC was a disaster: The US President did not turn up to greet him when he arrived at the White House; Trump snubbed him by doubling down on reciprocal tariffs at a joint press conference; Elon Musk insulted him by bringing his children to a business meeting; Vivek Ramaswamy and his father-in-law disparaged him sitting cross-legged in a “wasted” meeting with someone sidelined by Trump.
For the so-called Modi “bhakts,” the visit was a grand success: Trump lavished praise on him, calling him a special friend, a great man, and that he missed him; Trump pulled up a chair for him; Trump acknowledged Modi was a better negotiator and a tougher negotiator; Trump spent almost five hours with him across bilateral meetings, two press engagements, and a private dinner, and gave him a personalized book on their “journey together.”
In the age of trivialisation through social media tattle and trolling, all this is of little consequence — grist for malingerers. The broad consensus among more reasoned analysts and experts is that PM Modi disarmed a rampant US President fueled by a MAGA fervor and an America First agenda, and advanced bilateral ties, and despite having to make concessions on tariffs, he bought time to forge a bilateral trade deal that could blunt the impact.
The visit was actually “a tour de force measured in terms of impact and outcomes,” said Arun Kumar, Managing Partner, Celesta Capital, who should know a thing or two about US-India trade as the former US Assistant Secretary of Commerce associated with the US- India relationship in the government and private sectors for almost two decades. Despite the day starting with a “somewhat ominous announcement” by President Trump on reciprocal tariffs, Kumar points to the technology and innovation cooperation including on AI, semiconductors and space technology, as a major gain for India.
Indeed, the 3119-word joint statement issued at the end of the talks is rich in detail about ventures and collaborations of the kind Washington does not undertake even with close allies, who in any case are peeling away under Trump II.
Tucked away deep in para 18 of the 33-point statement is the so-called TRUST initiative, to build trusted and resilient supply chains, including for semiconductors, critical minerals, advanced materials and pharmaceuticals. “As part of this effort, the leaders plan to encourage public and private investments to expand INDIAN MANUFACTURING CAPACITY, including in the US, for active pharmaceutical ingredients for critical medicines.” These investments, the statement says in a nod to Modi’s formulation of MAGA+MIGA, “will create good jobs, diversify vital supply chains, and reduce the risk of life-saving drug shortages in both the United States and India.”
Paras 25-28 virtually recognizes India’s security oversight over the Indian Ocean and Gulf regions, including “India’s decision to take on a future leadership role in the Combined Maritime Forces naval task force to help secure sea lanes in the Arabian Sea.” Supporting greater Indian Ocean connectivity, the statement refers to Meta’s announcement of a multi-billion, multi-year investment in an undersea cable project that will begin work this year and ultimately stretch over 50,000 km to connect five continents and strengthen global digital highways in the Indian Ocean region and beyond, and acknowledged New Delhi’s intention “to invest in maintenance, repair and financing of undersea cables in the Indian Ocean, using trusted vendors.”
Even on the issue of immigration, both legal and illegal, Modi countered the MAGA narrative, pressing for a broader view that takes into account American responsibility too in busting human trafficking gangs that operate on US borders. Amid MAGA pressure on Trump to curtail even the movement of professionals and students, he got the US side to acknowledge that the “talent flow and movement of students, researchers and employees, has mutually benefitted both countries.”
In the event, the MAGA movement gains the upper hand on legal movement of students, the Indian side got an assurance, albeit sketchy, that the two countries “would strengthen collaborations between the higher education institutions through efforts such as joint/dual degree and twinning programs, establishing joint Centers of Excellence, and setting up of offshore campuses of premier educational institutions of the US in India.”
While there was little specificity and timeline for such commitments, diaspora principals who straddle the two countries and eco-systems were chuffed about the outcomes from the visit.
“We are confident that the global Indian diaspora will continue to serve as a vital bridge between these nations, fostering deeper collaboration that enhances prosperity, innovation, security, and well-being for both American and Indian citizens,” said MR Rangaswami, founder-chairman of Indiaspora.