Diaspora brave rain, 2C chill to welcome PM in DC

The prime minister will be hosted by the US President on Thursday in what would be the first bilateral talks between the two leaders after Trump assumed the presidency for a second term last month. 

"Landed in Washington DC a short while ago. Looking forward to meeting @POTUS Donald Trump and building upon the India-USA Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Our nations will keep working closely for the benefit of our people and for a better future for our planet. @realDonaldTrump," Modi posted on X along with pictures. 

Modi is staying at the Blair House, the US presidential guest house at the heart of the American capital city. As Prime Minister Modi reached Blair House, the President's Guest House, he was accorded a rousing welcome by members of the Indian-American diaspora. 

Braving freezing temperatures and rain, the community members gathered at Blair House and welcomed him with slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', 'Vande Mataram' and Modi Modi' as they waved the Indian and American flags. 

"A warm reception in the winter chill! Despite the cold weather, the Indian diaspora in Washington DC has welcomed me with a very special welcome. My gratitude to them," Modi said on X. Prime Minister's office posted on X.

Prime Minister Modi also met newly appointed Director of National Intelligence in the Donald Trump administration Tulsi Gabbard, and discussed India-USA friendship, of which he said, she has been a strong votary". 

He also congratulated 43-year-old Gabbard on her confirmation as the nation's top intelligence official. This was Modi's second interaction with the top leadership of the Trump administration. In France, at the dinner, he met US Vice President JD Vance, who was there to attend the AI Summit.

With Trump's tariff policy sending shockwave across the world, Modi's key priority is likely to be to pre-empt any punitive trade action by Washington against India. People closely tracking India-US ties said there is a possibility of both sides exploring the option of looking at a trade pact to avoid high tariffs and expand the overall trade basket. 

In their meeting, the two leaders are likely to broadly focus on ramping up India-US cooperation in sectors like trade, investment, energy, defence, technology and immigration. Apart from some possible sector-specific outcomes, it will be interesting to see the optics and what kind of broader signal the meeting between Modi and Trump, known for their personal bonhomie, produces with sensitive issues like immigration and tariff expected to be focus of the talks. 

The prime minister's visit to the American capital comes days after the Trump administration deported 104 Indians in handcuffs and shackles on a military aircraft that sparked outrage in India. -- PTI