Wed Sep 18 15:30:12 UTC 2024: ## Trump to Meet Modi During Upcoming US Visit, Criticizes India’s Trade Practices
**Washington DC:** Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi’s upcoming visit to the United States. The meeting is scheduled to take place next week, according to Trump, who praised Modi as “fantastic” while simultaneously criticizing India’s trade practices.
Trump, who is seeking a second term as President, made the announcement during a campaign event in Flint, Michigan. He accused India of “abusing” the U.S.-India trade dynamic, a claim he has previously made about India, China, and other countries.
While acknowledging Modi’s leadership, Trump stated that “India is very tough” and utilizes its strength against the United States. He went on to list Brazil and other countries as “very tough” as well, but singled out China as the “toughest” in terms of trade practices.
Trump, known for his emphasis on trade balances in foreign policy, advocated for a “reciprocal trade act” that would implement like-for-like tariff rates if he were re-elected. This policy, he believes, would either result in free trade or make the U.S. “money.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has criticized India’s trade practices. In 2019, during his first term, he revoked India’s preferential trading status under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), labeling India the “tariff king.”
Modi is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders from Australia and Japan at the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) summit in Wilmington, Delaware, on September 21. He will also attend the United Nations’ “Summit of the Future” and other events in New York on September 22 and 23.
The Indian government has not yet confirmed a meeting between Modi and Trump, nor has Vice President Kamala Harris’s office confirmed any scheduled meeting between the two leaders. However, they did meet during the last Quad summit in the U.S. in September 2021.
First Piper 