Bhubaneswar: PM Narendra Modi’s first meeting with US President Donald Trump has been hailed in American media as a lesson for other leaders around the world.
Senior CNN journalist Will Ripley has summed up how successful has been the visit of PM Modi to US after President Trump’s inauguration. Writing on X, he said:
“Indian PM Modi understood the assignment in his 8th meeting with President Trump, It could have been bad. Modi was in DC on the same day Trump announced dreaded reciprocal tariffs. Despite trade friction, both sides walked away with deliverables on a potential trade deal , energy, military etc. ‘MIGA’ (Make India Great Again)+ MAGA (Make America Great Again) = MEGA is very clever branding that resonates with Trump. OTHER LEADERS, TAKE NOTE.”
The words of senior journalist Will Ripley – “OTHER LEADERS, TAKE NOTE” – in itself flash the arch light of the resounding success of Modi – trump meet.
TRUMP’S MODI ‘FATHER’ REMARK & THE SHAHENSHAH’s ONELINER – Rishte mein toh.... !
In October 2024, speaking on the Flagrant podcast with hosts Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh, Trump said, “he is great, a friend of mine.. but from the outside he looks like he is your father.. He is nicest, a TOTAL KILLER.”
Trump on Modi, last few seconds mimicking modi’s anger 🤣 pic.twitter.com/ku8oDFVhuI
— Reader (@ReaderX07) October 9, 2024 ">TRUMP's MODI 'FATHER' REMARK
The remark of Trump in October that “Modi looks like he’s your father” reminds India’s famous one-liner of Amitabh Bachchan starred Shahenshah ----- “Rishte mein toh hum tumhare baap lagte par naam hain Shahenshah..”
Despite a ‘fatherly’ look, in Trump’s words, PM Modi has been a ‘TOTAL KILLER’. This has been on full display on Feb 13.
The 8th meeting of Modi – Trump meet underlines President Trump’s accurate assessment of PM Modi, when PM Modi delivered the arithmetic of MAGA + MIGA = MEGA PARTNESHIP FOR PROSPERITY, which resonated well with Prez Trump, as seen in the live Joint Press Conference.
It is this MEGA arithmetic that made the meet between two great democracies – a COMPACT show.
COMPACT SHOW
PM Modi is known for taking a meticulous approach to a topic with a 360 degree analysis. The first Modi – Trump meet after US Prez inauguration had PM Modi’s meticulous stamp.
When President Trump has been declaring since his election tour that he will go for tariff strike against its trading partners, and post inauguration levied 10% higher tariff on Chinese goods and 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada, and has also been calling India ‘Tariff king’ and “big abuser” of trade ties, PM Modi had done his home work well. Before sitting with Trump on the table, PM had a clear strategy with him to show.
As a consequence, on his first visit, rolled out the COMPACT agreement.
As per a PMO statement, “President Trump and Prime Minister Modi launched a new initiative – the "U.S.-India COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) for the 21st Century”.
The statement maintains that this will drive transformative change across key pillars of cooperation.
“Under this initiative, both countries committed to a results-driven agenda with initial outcomes this year to demonstrate the level of trust for a mutually beneficial partnership.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS OF ‘COMPACT’ SHOW
Here are the key takeaways of the COMPACT initiative that has panned on to the areas of cooperation between US and India.
DEFENCE
- To advance defense ties further, announced plans to sign this year a new ten-year Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in the 21st Century.
- Announced plans to pursue this year new procurements and co-production arrangements for "Javelin” Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and "Stryker” Infantry Combat Vehicles in India to rapidly meet India’s defense requirements.
- Expect completion of procurement for six additional P-8I Maritime Patrol aircraft to enhance India’s maritime surveillance reach in the Indian Ocean Region.
- Us Recognizes India a Major Defense Partner with Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA‑1) authorization and a key Quad partner, therefore,
- U.S. and India will review their respective arms transfer regulations, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), in order to streamline defense trade, technology exchange and maintenance, spare supplies and in-country repair and overhaul of U.S.-provided defense systems.
- Negotiations will be opened this year for a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) agreement to better align their procurement systems and enable the reciprocal supply of defense goods and services.
- U.S. announced a review of its policy on releasing fifth generation fighters (F-35A) and undersea systems to India.
- Announced a new initiative - the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) - to scale industry partnerships and production in the Indo-Pacific.
- Welcomed the new partnership between Anduril Industries and Mahindra Group on advanced autonomous technologies to co-develop and co-produce state-of-the-art maritime systems and advanced AI-enabled counter Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)
- Also hailed partnership between L3 Harris and Bharat Electronics for co-development of active towed array systems.
- Hailed upcoming “Tiger Triumph” – the tri-service exercise to be held in India First edition held in 2019.
- TRADE AND INVESTMENT: WHEN MODI OUTLINED TRUMP’s JOB PLAN FOR AMERICANS!
- Set a bold new goal for bilateral trade – "Mission 500” – aiming to more than double total bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.
- Announced plans to negotiate the first tranche of a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by fall of 2025.
- U.S. and India will work towards increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and deepening supply chain integration.
- United States welcomed India’s recent measures to lower tariffs on U.S. products of interest in the areas of bourbon whiskey, motorcycles, ICT products and metals,
- As well as measures to enhance market access for U.S. agricultural products, like alfalfa hay and duck meat, and medical devices.
- India appreciated U.S. measures taken to enhance exports of Indian mangoes and pomegranates to the United States.
- Pledged to collaborate in enhancing bilateral trade by increasing U.S. exports of industrial goods to India and Indian exports of labor-intensive manufactured products to the United States.
- The two sides agreed to work together to increase trade in agricultural goods.
- Both leaders affirm their committment to drive opportunities for U.S. and Indian companies to make greenfield investments in high-value industries in each other’s countries.
- Welcomed ongoing investments by Indian companies worth approximately $7.35 billion, such as by Hindalco’s Novelis in finished aluminum goods at their state-of-the art facilities in Alabama and Kentucky; JSW in steel manufacturing operations at Texas and Ohio; Epsilon Advanced Materials in the manufacture of critical battery materials in North Carolina; and Jubilant Pharma in the manufacture of injectables in Washington.
- These investments support over 3,000 high-quality jobs for local families.
- ENERGY SECURITY
- Modi – Trump underscored the importance of enhancing the production of hydrocarbons to ensure better global energy prices and secure affordable and reliable energy access for their citizens.
- Resolved to work with key partners to expand strategic oil reserve arrangements.
- In this context, the U.S. affirmed its firm support for India to join the International Energy Agency as a full member.
- India expressed its commitment to increase energy trade and to establish the United States as a leading supplier of crude oil and petroleum products and liquified natural gas to India.
- Announced commitment work together to build U.S.-designed nuclear reactors in India through large scale localization and possible technology transfer.
- Amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) for nuclear reactors, recently, unlocked plans to build large U.S.-designed reactors and enable collaboration to develop, deploy and scale up nuclear power generation with advanced small modular reactors.
US – INDIA ‘TRUST’
- Launched U.S.-India TRUST ("Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology”) initiative.
- This will catalyze government-to-government, academia and private sector collaboration to promote application of critical and emerging technologies in areas like defense, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum, biotechnology, energy and space, while encouraging the use of verified technology vendors and ensuring sensitive technologies are protected.
- U.S. and Indian private industry will put forward a U.S.-India Roadmap on Accelerating AI Infrastructure by the end of the year
- They will identify constraints to financing, building, powering, and connecting large-scale U.S.-origin AI infrastructure in India with milestones and future actions.
- Announced the launch of INDUS (India- US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem) Innovation, a new innovation bridge modeled after the successful INDUS-X platform
SPACE COOPERATION
Both leaders hailed 2025 as a pioneering year for U.S.-India civil space cooperation, with plans for a NASA-ISRO effort through AXIOM to bring the first Indian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS).
- Will ensure early launch of the joint "NISAR” (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Apertures Radar) mission, the first of its kind to systematically map changes to the Earth’s surface using dual radars.
SECURITY: PAK SCREWED FURTHER
- The U.S. announced extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India approved.
- Called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.
