Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to the United States in September to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where he may hold bilateral discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. The visit, if confirmed, would take place during a period of escalating trade tensions between the two countries.
Washington recently imposed a steep 50% tariff on Indian exports — 25% as a reciprocal measure and an additional 25% as a penalty — citing India’s continued imports of discounted Russian crude oil despite Western sanctions. The move has put additional strain on already stalled trade negotiations, which disagreements over market access in agriculture, energy imports, and tariff reductions have bogged down.
Modi is provisionally listed to address the UNGA on September 26, although officials stress that the schedule remains tentative.
If it goes ahead, the bilateral is expected to focus on restoring momentum to the trade talks, exploring pathways for tariff rollback, and strengthening cooperation in defence, technology, and clean energy. The visit may also see Modi engaging with other world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as part of India’s broader diplomatic outreach at the UN.
The last high-profile Modi–Trump meeting took place in 2019, when both leaders appeared together at the “Howdy, Modi” event in Houston.
