'Whatever you charge, we charge': Trump hosts India's Modi in Washington amid concerns over tariffs

US 'paving the way' to provide India with F-35 stealth fighters, Donald Trump says

Donald Trump met India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington on Thursday, as the US President prepares to impose broad tariffs on imports.

"India imposes a 30 to 40 to 60 and even 70 per cent tariff on so many of the [US] goods, and in some cases, far more than that," Mr Trump told reporters during a joint press briefing.

"We're just going to do it the easy way. We're just going to say, whatever you charge, we charge. And I think that's fair for the people of the United States, and I think it's actually fair for India."

Mr Trump said that Mr Modi had agreed to engage in negotiations, the goal of which would be signing an agreement that would ensure a "level playing field".

"The Prime Minister and I also reached an important agreement on energy that will restore the United States as a leading supplier of oil and gas to India, hopefully their number one supplier, in this groundbreaking development for us," he said.

The meeting between the two leaders came amid fears in India and around the world over Mr Trump's threat of tariffs on US trading partners.

Mr Modi and Mr Trump had a cordial relationship during the US President's previous term. Mr Trump visited India in 2020 and at a joint appearance at a rally in Texas in 2019, he called Mr Modi “one of America's greatest, most devoted and most loyal friends”.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump arrive for a news conference. EPA

Despite their apparently close relationship, Mr Trump has described India as a “very big abuser” of trade ties with the US. The US is India’s largest trade partner, but Washington has a trade deficit with India worth nearly $46 billion, which Mr Trump is hoping to reduce.

"[What] I learnt from President Trump is that he keeps the national interest supreme," Mr Modi said from the Oval Office. "And like him, I also keep the national interest of India at the top of everything else."

Mr Trump, who took office on January 20, campaigned on promises to impose heavy tariffs, even on some of the country's closest trade partners, as part of his “America First” agenda.

So far, he has announced 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, but those were postponed in exchange for commitments on border security and crime enforcement from both countries. He has, however, threatened to expand tariffs on steel and aluminium from both countries.

Mr Trump has also imposed 10 per cent duties on goods imported from China, and has announced plans to impose tariffs on the EU.

In addition to discussing trade, Mr Trump and Mr Modi also discussed defence. India is one of Washington's strongest allies in Asia, and since 2015, the US also authorised more than $3 billion in defence articles for India, according to the State Department.

The US will increase sales of military hardware to India by “many billions of dollars”, Mr Trump said. “We’re also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters,” he added.