Modi of India to meet with Trump, Musk as commercial tensions ride

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi He addresses Washington, DC, for meetings with President Donald Trump and members of his administration, including ELON ALMIZCLETo discuss issues such as efforts to avoid a commercial war and an artificial intelligence policy, CNBC has confirmed.

In his meetings with President Trump on Thursday, Modi will address the country They were authorized to talk about the matter.

Modi and his team will also indicate the intention of India to buy more liquefied natural gas in the United States, an agreement that will probably involve Cheniere energy. India already buys a fifth of its LNG of the United States and is one of the largest importers in the world.

A senior government official of Modi told CNBC that India is ready to obtain more defense teams from the United States of StrykerAnd find other ways to associate with Washington in military drills in the Indian Ocean, where China remains a persistent threat.

While in Washington, Modi will spend time with Treasury Secretary Scott Besent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee to direct the Department of Commerce.

Modi will also have an individual meeting with Musk, which supervises the so -called government efficiency department, with an approach to cut federal programs and regulations. Modi’s discussion with the richest person in the world is expected to focus on the policy of Starlink to India and Tesla’s Ability to open a plant in the country, said the government official.

A White House spokesman did not respond to the request for comments from CNBC.

On technology, Modi and his team will also strengthen their interest in buying high -performance graphics processing units, or GPU, USA. And avoid any export control of the Trump administration. On a recent trip to Mumbai, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang expressed interest in association With India Trusted industries To promote the country’s efforts.

It will not be the first meeting between the Indian leader and the musk.

Just before Modi’s state visit to Washington in 2023, Musk met with Modi in New York for Discuss import tariffs of cutting electric vehicles In India and other ways in which Tesla’s expansion to India could become a reality.

Tesla has not publicly shared a plan to build a factory in India, and instead has continued focusing on China. But India has become a large growth market for American technology.

Apple, Goal, Microsoft, Google and Amazon They have promised billions of dollars of investment in the growth of India and capitalize on the emerging middle class of the country.

According to analysts’ estimates, Apple now manufactures from 10% to 15% of its iPhones in India and CEO Tim cook He has suggested that the company is potentially looking to move more production there. Apple also opened some retail stores in India in 2023.

For Modi, the trip represents an opportunity for a very necessary impulse for the private sector of your company. He Indian MSCI stock quoted background It has fallen 5% this year and more than 15% since the end of September. Meanwhile, Chinese actions have gathered as the investors of emerging markets bet on the progress of the country, particularly after recent reports on the power and efficiency of the Deepseek model. The Ishares MSCI China ETF It has increased by 11% in 2025.

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