US to Emphasize Defence and Energy Sales to India: White House

Synopsis

The US plans to prioritize defense and energy sales to India, highlighting key discussions between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. The leaders aim to enhance bilateral trade and strengthen regional partnerships, with a focus on 2025 for finalizing a trade deal.

Key Takeaways

Increased defense sales to India.
Focus on energy exports to India.
Resumption of trade deal discussions.
Strengthening of Quad partnership.
Targeting trade deal completion by 2025.

Washington, Feb 13 (NationPress) The US is set to emphasize and enhance defence and energy sales to India, according to senior officials from the White House, who previewed a meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled for later today.

The officials indicated that the two leaders aim to build on the achievements of Trump's initial term, with discussions centered around critical areas such as defence, trade, energy, infrastructure, and regional partnerships.

Anticipated discussions will likely resume negotiations on a trade deal, potentially continuing from where they paused during Trump's first term. The objective is to finalize a deal by 2025, as stated by senior officials from the Trump administration.

This meeting marks the first in-person encounter between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House for a non-consecutive second term; his first term spanned from 2017 to 2021. They have previously conversed over the phone twice, once in November and again in January.

"We intend to enhance defence sales to India, ensuring they prioritize the use of American technology," one official remarked. "The President is similarly focused on unleashing American energy to the global market, with India being a vital importer of natural resources to fuel their economy."

The leaders will also explore strategies to strengthen their trade relationship, which, according to one official, aims to "reduce our bilateral trade deficit and establish an expanded fair trade relationship."

"There have been initial positive signals from the Government of India that the Trump administration appreciates (though) these are early yet modest steps," one official noted, referencing recent duty reductions in the annual budget proposals.

"Much more needs to be accomplished. I anticipate that today’s meeting will generate further momentum towards a solidified fair bilateral trade arrangement between our two dynamic and growing economies, with the hope of finalizing such a deal in 2025."

The President and Prime Minister will also deliberate on enhancing the Quad partnership to foster stability and peace throughout the Indo-Pacific, the officials disclosed.