India To Buy ‘American-Made Security Equipment’, PM Modi To Visit United States

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon be visiting the U.S. and the plan was decided during the first phone call between him and President Donald Trump after the latter’s inauguration on 20 January.

Donald Trump-Narendra Modi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon be visiting the United States to meet President Donald Trump even as India has promised to buy “American-made security equipment” and make efforts to have a “fair bilateral trading relationship”, according to the White House.

This was decided during a late evening phone call between the two leaders on Monday. This was Modi’s first conversation with Trump since the U.S. President’s swearing-in on 20 January in which they discussed issues concerning defence, trade, technology and energy, amid the rising threat of tariffs and sanctions by Washington on various countries.

“The President emphasized the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship. The leaders discussed plans for Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House, underscoring the strength of the friendship and strategic ties between our nations,” the White House readout said, which was issued after the phone call.

Modi is expected to visit the U.S. soon, which will be followed by a visit by Trump for the next round of the Quad Summit. Trump was quoted as saying that PM Modi might visit Washington in February. However, India is yet to confirm that.

Under the second tenure of the Trump administration, India is expected to buy a range of defence equipment from the United States. The U.S. is likely to push the sale of a wide range of weaponry with India under both Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) processes. “These sales support thousands of jobs in both countries and help ensure the health of both countries’ defense industrial bases,” said a statement issued recently by the US Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

In the last few years, India has procured MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for $2.8 billion from the U.S., Apache helicopters  for $796 million, and the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure under a $189 million deal.

India is the first “non-treaty partner “ of the U.S. that was offered a Missile Technology Control Regime Category-1 Unmanned Aerial System – the Sea Guardian UAS manufactured by General Atomics. Delhi is buying 31 units of the drones for all three armed forces – Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

The U.S. is also expected to send some of its latest fighter jets at the upcoming Aero India Show – a biennial event by the IAF.

“We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership. We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security,” said PM Modi in a social media post.

The White House also said that both leaders also discussed “expanding and deepening cooperation. They also discussed a range of regional issues, including security in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe.”

Both leaders also discussed the ongoing ceasefire deal in Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “The two leaders exchanged views on global issues, including the situation in West Asia and Ukraine, and reiterated their commitment to work together for promoting global peace, prosperity and security,” said the Ministry of External Affairs.

The phone call also took place at a time when India is also bracing up to take in hundreds and thousands of refugees.