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Immediately after their hour-long meeting where US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the entire gamut of India-US bilateral ties, the two leaders held a joint press conference where they took questions from the international media.
With Donald Trump announcing sweeping reciprocal tariffs for all countries as a tit-for-tat trade policy hours before his meeting with PM Modi, one of the questions asked to President Trump was about who is a tougher and better negotiator - him or Prime Minister Modi? To this, the US President swiftly replied "He is a much tougher negotiator than me and he is a much better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest."
#WATCH | Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump says, "He (PM Narendra Modi) is a much tougher negotiator than me and he is a much better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest."
(Video: ANI/DD) pic.twitter.com/V8EzU0FfE9
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025
Speaking specifically about reciprocal tariffs, President Trump said that "it is only fair that taxes and tariffs are reciprocal." Explaining his point he said that over time "many attempts have been made" by the US to reduce tariffs on US exports, "but since that has not worked out, we have now decided to reciprocate in the exact same way - something that has not been done before."
Trade and tariffs have been a top priority for Donald Trump in his efforts to "make America great again". On multiple occasions in the past, Trump has said "tariff" is his favourite word in the dictionary and that he is convinced they are key to the revival of the US economy.
Even on Thursday evening (US Eastern Time), Donald Trump said "We (US) have been a great economy, the number one in the world - still is - but, ever since Covid, the economy has been under stress. We will now revive it," he said while answering another question on tariffs.
The two leaders spoke to the press even before the bilateral talks began. Donald Trump praised PM Modi saying "Prime Minister Modi is a great leader," adding that "We're going to make some wonderful trade deals for India and the US."
Besides trade and tariffs, the two leaders had a detailed discussion on matters concerning regional and global security, the India-US defence partnership, foreign investment, energy, technology, education, visas, and immigration.
PM Modi is one of the first global leaders to travel to the US for an official visit and meet Donald Trump after his electoral win. This is PM Modi's 10th visit to the United States as prime minister and fourth with Trump as President.