With his trademark “hugoplacy” in full play, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump made best friends again launching a “MEGA” “COMPACT” with a “results-driven agenda” for a transformative change in India-US relations.
If the host professed “MAGA,” (Make America Great Again) to impose tit-for-tat tariffs on friends and foes alike, the visitor proferred “MIGA” (Make India Great Again) to forge a “MEGA” Partnership for prosperity.
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The concept was translated into another acronym in a joint statement at the end of Modi’s first visit to the US since Trump’s return to the White House after a four year interregnum – the “U.S.-India COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) for the 21st Century” – to drive transformative change across key pillars of cooperation.
Under this initiative, Modi and Trump “committed to a results-driven agenda with initial outcomes this year to demonstrate the level of trust for a mutually beneficial partnership” as they set a target of more than doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, with India set to import more US oil and gas to shrink the trade deficit.
Another acronym bandied about was TRUST or Transforming Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology. Under this, said Modi emphasis will be laid on creating strong supply chains of critical minerals, advanced materials and pharmaceuticals.
For India, a key gain was the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana, “one of the very evil people of the world, to face justice in India,” as Trump put it.
“We agree that in order to eliminate cross-border terrorism, we need concrete actions,” said Modi. “And I’m very grateful to President Trump that, in 2008, somebody who carried out genocide in India – that criminal is now going to be handed over to India.”
On the issue of deportation of undocumented Indian migrants from the US amid mounting concerns in India over their harsh treatment, Modi sidestepped saying, “Anybody who enters another country illegally, they have absolutely no right to be in that country. And as far as India and the US is concerned, we have always been of the same opinion.”
In a major boost to defense ties, Trump said the US would increase its military sales to India by “billions of dollars” providing it fifth generation F-35 stealth jets among other things.
New procurements and co-production arrangements for ‘Javelin’ anti-tank guided missiles and ‘Stryker’ Infantry Combat Vehicles were also announced. To further bolster India’s firepower and surveillance capabilities, the US will expand sales of Harpoon anti-ship missiles, M777 howitzers, and MQ-9B drones.
India and US also plan to sign a new ten-year framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership with the two sides acknowledging the increasing integration of US defense systems into India’s military,
Another major initiative, the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA), will drive collaboration in defence technology and production across the Indo-Pacific.
On the Bangladesh crisis, which led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government last year, Donald Trump rejected speculation about the involvement of the US deep state.
“There was no role for our (US) deep state. This is something that the Prime Minister has been working on for a long time and has been working on for hundreds of years. I will leave Bangladesh to the Prime Minister.”
Modi also had a separate meeting with DOGE leader Elon Musk, Trump’s waste cutter, at the Blair House presidential guest house with his family joining.
“It was also a delight to meet Mr. @elonmusk’s family and to talk about a wide range of subjects!” Modi wrote. “We discussed various issues, including those he is passionate about such as space, mobility, technology and innovation. I talked about India’s efforts towards reform and furthering ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.’
Modi and Musk’s meeting is viewed as part of India’s broader effort to assert itself in the global space race, where space-based communications are critical.
Earlier, as Modi arrived at the White House in a chilly 2 degrees Fahrenheit under the shadow of Trump’s tariff threat, the President greeted him with a warm hug and a handshake.
“We missed you, we missed you a lot… It’s great to see you again,” said Trump before introducing Modi to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Musk and US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz. In a rare gesture, Trump even pulled a chair for Modi as the two leaders sat down for their bilateral.
Trump’s gift to Modi also had a personal touch — a book titled ‘Our Journey Together,’ featuring snapshots from their ‘Howdy Modi!’ and ‘Namaste Trump!’ rallies in Houston and Ahmedabad during Trump’s first term.
But when it came to tariffs, Trump stood firm saying India was “at the top of the pack.” With Modi standing by his side, an unruffled Trump declared, “Whatever India charges, we charge them. So, frankly, it no longer matters to us that much what they charge.”
“Today, the US trade deficit with India is almost $100 billion, and Prime Minister Modi and I have agreed that we will be negotiating to address the long-running disparities,” he said.
When an American journalist posed a loaded question to Modi asking “how much more confident are you with President Trump leading this country… vs. with Biden’s incompetence and weakness over the last four years?” it was Trump who answered chuckling.
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“That’s your question, but I’ll answer it. I agree with you — gross incompetence,” he said “Even some of the media that we wouldn’t prefer has been writing that this is a much different country right now.”
The world, including India, benefits from a strong and “good” America, he said asserting , “We’re going to have a fantastic relationship, and it’ll make both countries much stronger.”
It is hard to say who got a better deal, but for once playing a gracious host Trump conceded, “He is a much tougher negotiator than me, and he is a much better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest.”
Not to be outdone, Modi said only Trump, the author of “The Art of the Deal” had a “copyright on the word ‘deal.’”