Will PM Modi meet Donald Trump next month? Here’s what we know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the United States next month for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). According to sources who told India Today, plans are being finalised to schedule a meeting between Modi and US President Donald Trump in order to iron out issues between both the nations.

PM Modi and Trump’s meeting comes at a time when India and US relations have taken a turn for the worse. This comes as the US imposed a 25 per cent tariff initially on Indian goods, and added another 25 per cent more, taking the total to 50 per cent.

Not only that, Trump has claimed several times, despite India’s dismissal, that he was the one to negotiate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. India has maintained that the ceasefire was achieved after New Delhi and Islamabad had a conversation, where no third party was involved.

On top of that, the trade deal between India and the US stretched on as the US demanded access to India’s agriculture and dairy sectors but New Delhi resisted. New Delhi and Washington had engaged in several rounds of discussions for the trade deal. Trump, frustrated by the lack of progress, along with New Delhi’s decision to continue buying Russian oil, led him to an outburst calling India’s economy “dead”.

Trump and his administration also blamed India for buying Russian oil, which they claim was financing Moscow’s war on Kyiv. However, India has rebuffed their claims and exposed their duplicity by highlighting their still-ongoing trade with Russia. India responded by saying American companies continue to buy uranium, chemicals and fertilizers from Russia.

However, it is not only the distancing of New Delhi, but also the suspicious bonhomie with Islamabad that has made matters worse. In fact, Pakistani army chief Asim Munir threatened nuclear attack on India and other countries from the US soil.

The meeting between Modi and Trump comes at such a crucial juncture. PM Modi is also expected to hold high-level meetings with foreign leaders, including Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.

The UNGA meeting will be held in New York City in September.