Chicago – February 16, 2025
The Indian prime minister met Trump in Washington on Thursday but the fondness between the two may have faded. During the first Trump administration, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rock star greeting when he visited the United States but this time the welcome was less than average.
In the weeks since inauguration, President Trump has threatened allies with tariffs. He wants to take Greenland from NATO ally Denmark and make Canada the 51st state. Watching this from New Delhi, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, appears to have decided to defuse potential triggers for Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump and India’s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed issues ranging from weapons sales to trade when they met in Washington on Thursday but in public remarks avoided the sensitive subjects of human rights and minority abuses.
Concerns over India’s human rights track record have taken a bipartisan backseat in Washington in recent years as India gained clout by boosting its U.S. trade and emerging as a partner in countering China, experts say, noting Trump’s second presidency will continue that trend.
