Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to journey from Paris to Washington on 12 February for his inaugural bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump since the latter's inauguration last month.
The official engagements are planned over the subsequent two days, with the summit anticipated on 13 February, reports the Times of India.
Prior to his Washington visit, Modi will co-chair an Artificial Intelligence summit hosted by President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on 10-11 February.
Although President Trump had been invited to the summit, it is expected that the United States will be represented by Vice President JD Vance.
In light of Trump's decision not to attend the Paris summit, the bilateral meeting with Modi will now transpire in the US capital.
Following a recent telephone conversation with the Indian prime minister, President Trump confirmed that Modi would be visiting the White House in February.
during this initial discussion since the 20th January inauguration, Trump addressed potential points of contention in the relationship, notably trade and illegal immigration.
The forthcoming summit is expected to focus on enhancing trade relations and facilitating the issuance of skilled worker visas for Indian citizens.
Given that the United States is India's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade surpassing $118 billion in the 2023/24 period and India maintaining a trade surplus of $32 billion, these discussions are of significant importance.
Additionally, the leaders are anticipated to deliberate on strengthening partnerships in the technology and defence sectors, as well as addressing migration issues.
India, renowned for its vast pool of IT professionals, accounts for a substantial portion of the skilled worker H-1B visas issued by the United States.
His visit underscores the commitment of both nations to fortify their strategic partnership and collaboratively address mutual concerns.
