PM Modi-Trump meeting: Key announcements on defence, trade, technology, and strategic partnerships

Modi-Trump meet: High-level discussions at the White House

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump at the White House for high-level discussions on defence, trade, technology, energy, and strategic cooperation. The meeting took place shortly after PM Modi’s visit to France, and just hours after President Trump announced a new reciprocal tariff policy affecting all US trading partners, including India.

The two leaders launched the COMPACT initiative (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology for the 21st Century), aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across key sectors.

Key announcements from the Modi-Trump meeting

Defence cooperation

• A new ten-year framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership will be signed later this year.
• Expansion of US platforms in Indian defence services, with new procurements, including:
  • Javelin anti-tank missiles
  • Stryker armoured fighting vehicles
  • Six additional P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft
• Review of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to ease technology transfers and spare part supplies.
• Opening negotiations for a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) agreement, allowing mutual defence purchases.
• Accelerating defence technology collaboration in space, air defence, missile, maritime, and undersea warfare.
• US policy review on releasing fifth-generation fighter jets and undersea warfare systems to India.
• Launch of the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) for scaling underwater domain awareness (UDA) technologies. India is the first country to co-develop sensitive UDA technologies with the US.
• Joint development and production discussions for:
  • Sea Picket Autonomous Surveillance Systems (Thayer Mahan)
  • Wave Glider Unmanned Surface Vehicles (Boeing & Sagar Defence Engineering – 60 units for India)
  • Low-Frequency Active Towed Sonars (L3 Harris & Bharat Electronics)
  • Multi-Static Active Sonobuoys (Ultra-Maritime & Bharat Dynamics Ltd.)
  • Large Diameter Autonomous Undersea Vehicles (Anduril)
  • Triton Autonomous Underwater & Surface Vehicles (Ocean Aero)

Trade and economic ties

• New bilateral trade target—”Mission 500” aims to increase trade to $500 billion by 2030.
• Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by autumn 2025, covering multiple sectors and removing trade barriers, including reciprocal tariffs.
• Recognition of Indian investments worth $7.355 billion in the US, supporting 3,000 high-quality jobs.
• The impact of Trump’s 25% tariff on global steel and aluminum imports, which could affect Indian exports, was discussed.

Technology and innovation

• Launch of the TRUST Initiative (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology), facilitating partnerships between governments, academia, and private sectors in critical and emerging technologies.
• Finalization of a US-India AI Roadmap by the end of the year.
• Expansion of next-generation data centers and AI processing partnerships.
• Launch of INDUS Innovation, modeled after INDUS-X, to advance industry-academic collaboration in space, energy, and biotechnology.
• Expansion of Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing in the US, particularly for critical medicines.
• Strategic Mineral Recovery Initiative to process rare earth minerals, lithium, and cobalt for high-tech industries.
• MoU was signed between the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and India’s Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to enhance research collaboration.

Energy partnership

• Strengthening of the India-US Energy Security Partnership, with the US supporting
• India’s full membership in the International Energy Agency (IEA).
• Progress on the India-US 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement, enabling US-designed nuclear reactors in India.
• Collaboration on small modular nuclear reactors to scale up nuclear energy production.

People-to-people ties & migration

• Expansion of joint degrees, offshore campuses, and Centres of Excellence to support educational partnerships.
• The Indian student community in the US, contributing $8 billion annually, will benefit from streamlined student and professional mobility policies.
• Efforts to address illegal immigration and human trafficking.
• Strengthening law enforcement cooperation to combat organized crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism.

Multilateral cooperation & global security

• Counterterrorism collaboration:
  • Both nations condemned Pakistan’s failure to act against terrorist networks.
  • Demand for accountability for the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks.
  • Extradition of 26/11 convict Tahawwur Rana to India approved.
• QUAD Alliance (India, US, Japan, Australia):
  • PM Modi will host President Trump at the next Quad Leaders’ Summit.
• India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) and I2U2 Group:
  • New initiatives are to be announced in 2025.
• Indian Ocean Strategic Venture:
  • Forum for economic and security cooperation in the region.
  • Meta’s 50,000 km undersea cable project announced, enhancing global digital infrastructure.

Conclusion

The PM Modi-Trump meeting marked a significant step in strengthening India-US relations across defence, trade, technology, and strategic cooperation. The launch of COMPACT and TRUST initiatives, along with major defence and economic agreements, reflects the growing depth of bilateral ties between the two nations.

With high-tech collaborations, increased trade goals, and security cooperation, the India-US partnership continues to evolve into a global strategic alliance.

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