Washington invite comes as US Air Force plane carrying illegally migrated Indians arrived in Punjab’s Amritsar
US President Donald Trump has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a working visit to the White House next week, a White House official confirmed.
Modi will travel to Washington DC for a two-day visit. The invite came just days after a recent phone call between the two leaders.
The announcement came as earlier in the day, the US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US arrived in Punjab’s Amritsar.
A total of 30 deportees were residents of Punjab. The US military C-17 aircraft landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport amid tight security. Three each from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra while two from Chandigarh. The deportees include 25 women and 12 minors, with the youngest passenger being just four years old. Forty-eight people are below the age of 25. The flight, which took off from Texas on Tuesday, also carried 11 crew members and 45 US officials overseeing the deportation process.
A senior Punjab official said that most deportees from the state belong to Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Mohali and Sangrur. Some of them had entered the US illegally, while others overstayed their visas. They were deported on the C-17 plane that took off from San Antonio, Texas. This was the first round of deportation of illegal immigrants.
Earlier on Tuesday, a US Embassy spokesperson said that while specific details cannot be shared, the United States is vigorously enforcing its border and immigration laws. The spokesperson emphasised that the actions taken send a “clear message that illegal migration is not worth the risk.”
Trump held a ‘productive’ telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a statement by the White House said on January 27.
According to a statement from the White House, the two leaders emphasised their commitment to advance the US-India strategic partnership and the Indo-Pacific Quad partnership.
“Today, President Donald J. Trump held a productive call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. The two leaders discussed expanding and deepening cooperation. They also discussed a range of regional issues, including security in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe. 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 also discussed plans for PM Modi’s visit to the White House, and the Indo-Pacific Quad partnership, with India hosting Quad Leaders for the first time later this year.
“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. Both leaders emphasized their commitment to advance the US-India strategic partnership and the Indo-Pacific Quad partnership, with India hosting Quad Leaders for the first time later this year,” the statement read.
During the call on January 27, Trump spoke about immigration and stressed the importance of India buying more American-made security equipment and fair bilateral trading ties.
Modi likely to meet Musk
Modi is also likely to see Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The world’s richest man is reported to be part of a select group of CEOs who will meet PM Modi on February 13.
As the chief of the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk is likely to advocate for a level playing field for his electric cars.
He may also seek early regulatory approval to begin operations for affordable satellite internet service Starlink in the country, along with boosting collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
However, no official communication about the PM Modi-Musk meeting has been conveyed yet.
Last year, Musk had announced a delay in his India visit as earlier planned, as he faced “the moment of truth” when Tesla announced its quarterly results amid negative growth in China and massive global layoffs.
“Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed. But I do very much look forward to visiting (India) later this year,” Musk had posted on his X social media platform in April last year.
The electric carmaker has proposed supporting the country’s battery storage capabilities with its “Powerwall” during recent meetings. Musk is also aiming to build a Tesla supply system in India.
After Modi was re-elected for a record third term in June last year, the Tesla CEO congratulated him, saying he was “looking forward to my companies doing exciting work in India”.
“Appreciate your greetings @elonmusk. The talented Indian youth, our demography, predictable policies, and stable democratic polity will continue to provide the business environment for all our partners,” PM Modi responded.
Modi will travel to the US for a bilateral visit after attending the AI Summit in Paris on February 11-12.
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