On day 2 of India visit, Modi and Trump to get down to business

A day after
Donald Trump was feted by India, US President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
will hold extensive talks on Tuesday on the next phase of the bilateral
strategic partnership between the two countries.

The two
leaders heaped praises at each other during their addresses at the packed
“Namaste Trump” event at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad and the US president
announced that deals to sell state-of-the-art military helicopters and other
equipment worth more than $3 billion will be sealed on Tuesday.

Trump, his
wife Melania, daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and top brass of his
administration, arrived in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad around noon on Monday for his
nearly 36-hour-long first-ever visit to India.

The US
president was given a red-carpet treatment at the world’s largest cricket
stadium in the “Namaste Trump” event and was cheered by tens of thousands of
people as Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited him to address them.

“We love
you. We love you, India, very much,” Trump said finishing his 27-minute speech
in which he lauded Modi and spoke highly about India’s achievements in diverse
areas.

The Prime
Minister was equally lavish with his praise for Trump.

Talking
about defence and strategic ties between the two countries, Trump said the US
is looking forward to providing India with some of the best and most feared
military equipment on the planet.

The deals
mentioned by Trump will include procurement of 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters by
India from the United States at a cost of $2.6 billion. Another contract to
acquire six AH-64E Apache helicopters for $800 million from the US is also on
the table.

After the
pomp and pageantry of the first leg of the visit on Monday, Trump and Modi are
expected to get down to business during their restricted and delegation-level
talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Besides the
signing of the defence deals and at least five memoranda of understanding
(MoUs) on issues ranging from civil nuclear cooperation to natural gas and
trade facilitation, the two leaders will also review the global and regional
situation and discuss ways to take forward bilateral relations.

Tuesday’s
talks between Modi and Trump are also likely to send across a clear message of
growing compatibility of interests between India and the US on major
geopolitical developments in the region and beyond, particularly when China has
been expanding its military and economic clout.

Trump and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may focus on a wide range of bilateral and
regional issues.

They will
include trade and investment, defence and security, counter-terrorism, H1B
visas, energy security, religious freedom, the proposed peace deal with Taliban
in Afghanistan and situation in the Indo-Pacific, according to Indian and US
officials.

The US is
seeking access to Indian markets in dairy and poultry, removal of control over
medical device prices in a limited trade deal and India has sought relief from
tariffs on its steel and aluminium exports to the US and restoration of
benefits under a zero-duty preferential trade programme.

Trump and
the First Lady would be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the
Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday morning. The Trumps will then visit Rajghat to
pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi.

It would be
followed by restricted and delegation-level talks between Trump and Modi at
Hyderabad House. Prime Minister Modi would also host a lunch for the US
president after the talks.

Trump is
expected to attend certain private events at the US embassy, including a
roundtable with industry representatives, in the afternoon.

In the
evening, the US president will meet President Ram Nath Kovind and his trip will
culminate in a grand banquet for select guests at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. President
Trump will depart from India later in the evening.