US President Donald Trump gave a warm welcome to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House on Thursday. The two leaders hugged warmly as they met at the West Wing lobby, marking a cordial start to their high-profile meeting.
In a moment that captured attention, President Trump was seen pulling out a chair for PM Modi, showcasing his personal rapport with the Indian leader. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared a photo of the welcome on X, writing, “Behind the scenes in the West Wing lobby – @POTUS Trump welcomes Prime Minister @NarendraModi of India to the @WhiteHouse.”
PM Modi’s first US visit since Trump’s re-election
This marks PM Modi’s first visit to the US since President Trump’s second-term inauguration and underscored the strengthening US-India ties. PM Modi was invited within three weeks of the new administration taking office, making him one of the first world leaders to visit the White House post-inauguration.
The Indian delegation, comprising External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and India’s Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra, also reached the White House just after PM Modi. Indian flags were draped around the building to mark the visit.
Important diplomatic interactions
Prior to the meeting, PM Modi held talks with a number of high-profile individuals, including:
- US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk
- Indian-origin businessman Vivek Ramaswamy
- US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
These talks lay the groundwork for important discussions on bilateral cooperation, trade, technology, and global security matters.
PM Modi and President Trump have maintained close contact, having spoken twice over the phone since November 2024. Before PM Modi’s arrival, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended Trump’s inauguration as Modi’s special envoy, where he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and participated in the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ meeting in January 2025.
Symbolic messages of US-India cooperation
At Washington DC, there was a billboard promotion truck, which carried US-India collaboration messages, among them being slogans such as:
- “Paving the Path for Progress: US-India Alliance in Developing a Skilled Workforce”
- “Pillars of Friendship, Pathways of Progress”
PM Modi arrived after making a three-day trip to France to meet with US Vice President JD Vance. The two subsequently sat down to meet over a coffee with Modi sitting with Vice President Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance.
In a warm gesture, PM Modi also presented gifts to the Vance children and wished their son, Vivek, a happy birthday personally, as per a White House release.
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