During a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, February 13, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Modi is a much tougher and better negotiator than himself. Trump said, "He (PM Narendra Modi) is a much tougher negotiator than me and he is a much better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest".

Talk on India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Trump announced that the U.S. and India agreed to collaborate on building the IMEC, calling it one of the greatest trade routes in history. The trade route will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the U.S.

Trump and Modi agreed to negotiate longstanding trade disparities, aiming for a more level playing field. Modi has also made concessions to counter potential economic measures from Trump, with both leaders announcing an agreement to boost trade between their nations, including partnerships in space exploration, artificial intelligence, and energy production. Modi has also committed to a "new scale and scope" in their joint initiatives.

Modi, whose political alignment is on the right, also drew parallels between his Hindu nationalist agenda and Trump’s 'America First' stance, emphasising his commitment to prioritizing India's interests. Modi referenced Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again" (MAGA), adding an Indian twist by proposing a similar vision for India, "Make India Again" or MIGA.

Trump suggested that India would increase its purchases of U.S. energy products, which would help in addressing the trade deficit.

ANI