Trade, AI, and meeting with Musk on PM Modi’s agenda for US visit

NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is prepared to discuss reducing import tariffs and buying more energy and defence equipment from the US when he meets with President Donald Trump next, according to Indian officials familiar with the matter.

Modi is scheduled to arrive in Washington on February 12 and likely to meet with Trump on February 13. Meetings with Elon Musk and other US business executives have also been proposed, although nothing has been confirmed yet, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. 

US President Donald Trump is expected to host a dinner for PM Modi on February 12. According to sources, the two leaders will hold both bilateral and delegation-level meetings, with a potential trade agreement on the horizon.

During his visit, PM Modi is also set to meet a select group of American CEOs, including Tesla and SpaceX Chief Elon Musk. Sources indicate that Musk may push for a level playing field to sell Tesla vehicles in India and seek expedited approvals for Starlink’s operations in the country.

CNBC-TV18 spoke with former Foreign Secretaries Shashank and Kanwal Sibal to gain insights into what can be expected from Modi’s US visit.