PM Modi likely to meet Trump next month in US as trade tensions simmer
Sources said Trump is also keen on meeting Modi. In fact, Trump invited Modi to visit Washington in June when the Prime Minister was in Canada to attend the G7 Summit.Then, Modi declined the invitation, wary of the fact that Trump would look to orchestrate a meeting with Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, who was also in the US at that time.Sources said if the meeting goes well, PM Modi would personally invite Trump to visit India for the QUAD summit, which is scheduled in October. Australia and Japan are the other members of the QUAD.During Trump's first term, he and PM Modi formed a personal bond. However, that camaraderie has been rocked by Trump's compulsive bluster on tariffs in his second term despite the President calling Modi a "friend" several times.However, the mouth-watering prospect of a Modi-Trump meeting hinges on several factors in the coming weeks.TRADE, TARIFFS, PURCHASE OF RUSSIAN OILFirst is making headway in the India-US bilateral trade deal, which has been struck over India's reluctance in opening up the agriculture and dairy sectors to the US.Amid the trade deal stalemate, Trump compounded matters by imposing a 25% tariff on India and an additional 25% levy due to the continued purchase of Russian oil, bringing the total duty to 50%.While half of Trump's 50% tariffs on Indian products came into force on August 7, the remaining are set to take effect on August 27. Before that deadline, India and the US are engaged in hectic negotiations to strike a trade deal.Another key issue that has become a flashpoint between the US and India is New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil - a revenue source the White House says is sustaining Moscow's war in Ukraine.Trump has been berating India over its Russian oil purchases and pressuring New Delhi into cutting down on imports in the hope that threatening a key trade partner would force Moscow's hand into ending the Ukraine war.India has, however, vehemently countered the criticism by accusing the US of hypocrisy and pointing out that American companies continue to buy uranium, chemicals and fertilizers from Russia.On this front, India will closely follow the meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 to discuss a resolution to end the conflict, which has dragged on for over three years.- EndsMust Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
21 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Farmers' forum protest against Trump, seeks ban on corporates in agriculture
Farmers, tenant farmers, agricultural labourers, workers, and public associations under the NTR District Farmers, Tenants Workers, Agricultural Labourers, People's United Forum staged a dharna at Dharna Chowk, Vijayawada, on Wednesday, burning an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump. They demanded that corporates be kept out of agriculture, the immediate withdrawal of Trump's 50% tariffs on Indian exports, scrapping of free trade agreements (FTAs), and repeal of the four labour codes. Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha national general secretary Ravula Venkayya termed the tariff move — reportedly in retaliation for India importing Russian crude — 'arrogant' and sought a parliamentary debate on all FTAs. Marking the 83rd Quit India Movement anniversary, protesters raised slogans such as 'Multinational Corporations Quit India' and 'Big Corporates Quit Agriculture.' Former Agriculture Minister Vadde Shobhanadreeswara Rao warned that the proposed National Agriculture Market law would end MSP and procurement. Senior leader Y. Keshavarao criticised subsidy cuts, higher fertiliser prices, and reduced price stabilisation funds. Tenant farmers' leader P. Jamalaih opposed FTA clauses enabling dairy and poultry imports, while Congress Kisan Cell chief Kaman Prabhakar Rao opposed forced farmland acquisition. Other leaders, including D. Harinath, V. Krishnayya, and M. Venkata Reddy, called for regulation of subsidised agricultural imports. The dharna was chaired by Malnidi Yellamanda Rao and P.V. Anjaneyulu.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
Germany pledges $500m in military aid to Ukraine via new NATO supply line
Germany announced on Wednesday that it will work with a group of Ukraine's Western backers to supply a package of military aid to the war ravaged country worth up to $500 million using a new NATO supply line. Germany said on Wednesday it will work with a group of Ukraine's Western allies to deliver up to $500 million in military aid through a new NATO supply line. The announcement comes after NATO earlier this month began coordinating regular shipments of large weapons packages to Kyiv. The Netherlands had pledged air defence systems, ammunition and other equipment worth €500 million ($582 million), followed a day later by Sweden's $275 million contribution to a joint Nordic effort with Denmark and Norway, aimed at providing $500 million worth of air defences, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and spare parts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Germany's foreign and defence ministries said the new aid would prioritise 'critical air defence capabilities' urgently needed to counter Russia's continued aerial assaults, which have killed increasing numbers of civilians. According to the United Nations, Russian strikes on urban areas behind the front line have killed more than 12,000 civilians since the start of the war. Two deliveries of equipment, most of it bought in the United States, were scheduled for this month, although the Nordic package was more likely to arrive in September. Germany did not name the group of countries it would be working with. The equipment is supplied based on Ukraine's priority needs on the battlefield. NATO allies then locate the weapons and ammunition and send them on. Germany has delivered or pledged military support to Ukraine worth around 40 billion euros ($47 billion) since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. With inputs from agencies
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
After meeting with European leaders, Trump warns Russia of 'severe consequences' if it resists peace deal
Trump said during the meeting he proposed the idea of a second summit — involving Zelenskyy — to take place after his Friday meeting with Putin, provided meaningful progress is made toward ending the war US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Russia would face 'very severe consequences' if Moscow didn't make a genuine effort to move towards peace during his talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. 'Yes, they will,' The Guardian quoted Trump as saying during a briefing when asked if Russia would face consequences for not moving towards a peace agreement on Ukraine. Asked what exactly would the retaliation entail, he said, 'There will be, I don't have to say, there will be very severe consequences.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Describing the call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders as 'very good,' Trump said he proposed the idea of a second summit — involving Zelenskyy — to take place after his Friday meeting with Putin, provided meaningful progress is made toward ending the war. 'We had a very good call. He was on the call. President Zelensky was on the call. I would rate it at 10, you know, very, very friendly,' The Guardian quoted Trump as saying. Reflecting on his past role in Nato, Trump said, 'I know the leaders, because I was at Nato, as you know, I took it from 2% to 5% — 2% that wasn't paid, 5% that is paid — which is trillions of dollars in defence capability,' referring to member states' defence spending commitments. He confirmed that his intention all along was to speak with Putin first before reaching out to allies and Kyiv directly. 'It was always going to be I was going to meet with President Putin, and then after that, I'm going to call the leaders and President Zelenskyy – I'm going to call President Zelensky and then I'll call, probably, in that order, the leaders,' he added. Trump said he believes there is 'a very good chance' a follow-up meeting could take place soon after the first summit, if conditions allow. 'There's a very good chance that we're going to have a second meeting which will be more productive than the first, because the first is I'm going to find out where we are and what we're doing,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Elaborating further, he said that if the first meeting goes well, a follow-up could happen quickly. 'I would like to do it almost immediately, And we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy and myself, if they'd like to have me there, and that would be a meeting where maybe it could be absolutely work [it out] but … certain great things can be gained in the first [meeting], it's going to be a very important meeting, but it's setting the table for the second meeting… There may be no second meeting, because if I feel that it's not appropriate to have it, because I didn't get the answers that we have to have, then we're not going to have a second meeting,' he said. Meanwhile, US and European officials are reportedly already looking into potential locations for the meeting, with cities in Europe and the Middle East understood to be under consideration. Trump also acknowledged that he could not guarantee convincing Putin to stop targeting civilians in Ukraine and conceded that a second follow-up meeting was not guaranteed. 'Well, I'll tell you what. I've had that conversation with him. I've had a lot of good conversations with him. Then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home, or a rocket hit an apartment building and people are laying dead in the street. So I guess the answer to that is no, because I've had this conversation,' he was quoted as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier, European leaders from Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the UK, the EU, and NATO praised the coordination between Europe and the US during the high-level call, highlighting a united front ahead of Friday's summit between Trump and Putin. Finnish president Alexander Stubb, known to be closely involved in talks with Trump, said 'the next few days and weeks can be decisive' when it comes to Ukraine's future. Zelenskyy urged partners to put even more pressure on Russia, as he argued that Putin was 'bluffing' by claiming that sanctions were not affecting the Russian economy. He said that the leaders shared 'a common understanding – as long as Russia takes no steps toward peace, we must continue to exert pressure on it and strengthen support for Ukraine,' as he thanked Germany in particular for hosting the talks and signing off on a new $500m package of aid for Ukraine. With inputs from agencies
