After a landmark visit to France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his state visit to the US on the invitation of US President Donald Trump. PM Modi is the fourth world leader to meet President Trump after the inauguration of his administration in January 2025.  The visit is characterized by the mature handling of the relationship by experienced leadership at the summit level, reflected in the candor and warmth expressed in every engagement.  Be it setting the tone with Vice President JD Vance at a warm meeting at Paris, the later hospital welcome reception by the dynamic Indian diaspora on a rainy day in Washington, the first meeting with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the call-on meeting by US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz with Prime Minister Modi,  or the sharing of a rare souvenir—a “heat shield” tile that flew on the 5^th test flight of SpaceX Starship on October 13, 2024—by Spacex Chief Elon Musk during his meeting with Prime Minister Modi at the Blair House. 

This was the essence when the leader of the world’s largest democracy met the leader of the oldest democracy—when friends meet, they sit down and discuss. Over four hours of extensive engagement, Prime Minister Modi and President Trump held detailed discussions on strengthening India–US ties both bilaterally and multilaterally. President Trump welcomed PM Modi with a warm hug, saying, “We missed you a lot,” followed by discussions at the Oval Office in the White House on a spectrum of fields, including trade, security, geopolitical dynamics and technology.

As the world’s leading democracies, the leaders emphasized freedom, the rule of law and multicultural diversity, reaffirming their commitment to a strong and comprehensive India–US partnership. Taking the partnership to new heights, both leaders launched a new initiative—the ‘US-India COMPACT’ (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) for the 21st century—furthering transformative changes across various fields of cooperation. 

This trust was aptly summed up by Prime Minister Modi in his address during the joint press briefing at the White House. He framed it as ‘Make America Great Again,’ reflecting the Trump administration’s emphasis on strengthening US capabilities, coupled with India’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Vikasit Bharat’ by 2047—reinterpreted in American terms as ‘Make India Great Again’ (MIGA). This alignment solidifies the relationship as a ‘MEGA’ partnership for prosperity, built on the spirit of jointmanship. Both leaders responded to queries from media representatives of the vibrant press communities in India and the US This new initiative laid out the blueprint for the near- and medium-term future of the India–US strategic partnership. Along with QUAD, both leaders also discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC). In the energy sector, India and the US deliberated on India’s entry into the International Energy Agency (IEA) and enhancing collaboration on advanced small modular reactors (SMRs).

Economy: the essential mutual strength

While strengthening their relationship, both leaders set a target of achieving $500 billion in two-way trade by 2030. The first phase of a multi-sector bilateral trade agreement is in the advanced stages of negotiation and is likely to be signed by fall 2025, taking an integrated approach to strengthening commerce in goods and services. This includes greater market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and enhancing supply chain integration between the two countries. These efforts have paved the way for enterprises in both nations to foster mutually beneficial ties, adding strength to their respective economies.

Defence cooperation: the defining feature of strategic relationship

The Modi–Trump administration has consistently emphasized deepening convergences in India–US strategic interests, further strengthening defense partnerships across multiple domains. Building on a strong foundation of defense cooperation established through key agreements—including the  General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in 2002, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum Of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018 and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) (BECA) in 2020 for geospatial cooperation—both leaders have announced plans to sign a new ten-year framework for the India–US Major Defense Partnership in the 21st century.

As a prominent strategic partner and QUAD ally, the US has recognized India as a major defense partner with Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) status and is keen to review American International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to facilitate technology transfer, arms and technology exchange, maintenance and supply of spare parts and in-country repair, along with establishing a support mechanism for overhauling US-manufactured defense hardware. Discussions also focused on initiating negotiations this year for a Reciprocal Defence Procurement (RDP) agreement to create a mutually adaptable framework that facilitates procurement systems and enables the reciprocal supply of defense goods and services. The dialogue expanded to include greater collaboration in defense technology across space, air defense and maritime domains, further strengthening India’s defense preparedness.

To facilitate greater industry cooperation between both countries, the two leaders announced a new initiative—the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA)—aimed at strengthening industry partnerships and production in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

These announcements unfolded against the backdrop of Asia’s largest air show, AERO India 2025, held at the Yelahanka Air Base in Bengaluru, where two prominent fighter jets, Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter and the US F-35 Lightning II, were showcased. In this context, President Trump’s announcement offering the F-35 to India under QUAD defense cooperation marked a significant milestone in global defense collaboration and technological advancement. However, concerns remain regarding the US’s reliability as a defense trade partner, particularly in light of its past failures, such as the unfulfilled commitment to provide GE engines to India’s HAL. This raises doubts about American commitment, especially given that the F-35 has not yet been technically cleared for sale to India.

The Russian Su-57, with its advanced features such as low radar visibility, sophisticated onboard intelligence, supersonic cruising and powerful active radar capabilities, is being pitched to India by Russia, leveraging its history of strong technological collaboration in the development of MiGs and Sukhoi aircraft. With competitive pricing, the Su-57 presents itself as a viable option. Meanwhile, the American F-35, developed by Lockheed Martin, is considered the stealthiest aircraft, featuring an advanced design and a single F135 engine producing 40,000 pounds of thrust, enabling speeds of up to Mach 1.6. It is further supported by integrated combat network hardware, enhancing its operational capabilities. However, both aircraft come with potential vulnerabilities, particularly in terms of embedded software or hardware that could restrict their use in the event of a conflict. This raises concerns over India’s increasing dependence on foreign technology, particularly in maintaining strategic dominance in the Indo-Pacific. In this context, as highlighted by Prime Minister Modi in the joint press conference, national interest remains the defining feature of his administration. Against this backdrop, India’s Ministry of Defence must navigate the offers of these two advanced fighter jets while continuing to strengthen its commitment to Atmanirbharta through the development of its indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Apart from these bilateral benefits, one of the most prominent outcomes of the India–US summit is the credible assurance toward stability through a decisive resolution of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. During the meeting, President Trump also discussed his interactions with Russian and Chinese leadership, emphasizing his efforts to reduce nuclear threats and defense budgets—an approach aimed at fostering greater peace and stability in the region while creating favorable conditions for global economic and strategic cooperation. With further interactions expected in the near future to shape strategic trends, early engagement between the Trump administration and Prime Minister Modi underscores the importance of India–US ties. This early dialogue highlights the critical role of their partnership in defining regional and global strategic directions.

[Tanisha Desai edited this piece.]

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.