Amid tariff tensions, PM Modi-Trump may meet next month, will go to America for UNGA summit

New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may visit America next month, where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting to be held in New York City. During this, a plan is being made to meet President Donald Trump and discuss business related issues. This potential meeting is considered important amid the recent tension in India-US relations.

According to sources, PM Modi will also hold high-level meetings with other global leaders, which may also include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The UNGA summit will be held in September and world leaders will start arriving in the week starting September 23.

If PM Modi and President Trump meet, it will be the second meeting of the two leaders in seven months. Earlier, PM Modi visited the White House in February. During Trump’s first term, the personal relationship between the two leaders had strengthened, but in the second term, Trump’s tough stand on tariffs has soured the relationship, despite Trump calling Prime Minister Modi a “friend” several times.

The issue of trade, tariffs and purchase of Russian oil
The biggest hurdle in the India-US trade agreement is that India is not ready to open the agriculture and dairy sector to the US market. Meanwhile, along with imposing a 25% tariff, Trump also announced an additional 25% tariff for continuing to buy oil from Russia, taking the total tariff to 50%.

25% of these tariffs have already been implemented from August 7, while the rest will be implemented from August 27. Before this deadline, both countries are rapidly negotiating a trade agreement.

America’s displeasure over Russian oil purchase
The purchase of Russian oil is another major controversy. The White House says that this purchase is helping Russia to continue the Ukraine war. Trump is pressuring India to reduce oil imports so that Russia is economically affected. India has rejected American criticism and said that America itself buys uranium, chemicals and fertilizers from Russia, to which India has also expressed objection.

India is now keeping an eye on the meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15, in which both leaders will discuss ending the three-year-long war.