Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet U.S. President Donald Trump during a visit to New York next month for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Indian Express reported on Wednesday, citing government sources.
India’s foreign ministry has not confirmed the trip, and an official familiar with the matter stressed that no final decision has been made. While Modi is listed among provisional speakers for the General Debate on September 26, the official noted that the list “will go through revisions” and it remains undecided whether the prime minister will attend.
The 79th UNGA session begins September 9, with the high-level debate running from September 23 to 29. According to the report, a key objective of Modi’s potential visit would be to hold direct talks with Trump to address worsening trade tensions.
Bilateral ties have been tested in recent weeks after Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil, taking total U.S. duties on Indian exports to 50%, among the steepest on any American trading partner.
Trade negotiations between the two nations collapsed after five rounds, with sticking points including U.S. demands for wider access to India’s agricultural and dairy markets and calls for an end to Russian oil imports.
On Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business Network that several major trade deals, including with India, were still pending, describing New Delhi as “a bit recalcitrant” in talks. He expressed hope that the Trump administration could finalise substantial terms with all major partners by the end of October.
If confirmed, Modi’s meeting with Trump would mark their first direct talks since the escalation in tariff measures, and could set the tone for resetting trade relations between the two democracies.
Written By Rodney Mbua
