Modi looks to strengthen ties with Trump during U.S. visit amid trade and immigration tensions

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing for his upcoming visit to the United States, where he plans to rekindle his friendship, or "bromance," with President Donald Trump. 

The two leaders are set to meet at the White House on Thursday, but it‍‍`s expected that discussions will avoid sensitive topics such as tariffs and illegal immigration.

Since President Trump took office, leaders from around the world have visited him at the Oval Office, and Modi is the most recent to join this list. Their friendship was particularly strong during Trump‍‍`s first term.

Before his visit, Modi has made a move to ease tensions by proposing quick tariff reductions to Washington. 

In return, India has lowered tariffs on premium motorcycles, including Harley-Davidson, a brand that has faced difficulties in the Indian market. 

Trump had previously expressed frustration with this issue.

Modi‍‍`s visit comes in the wake of political unease in India, especially after U.S. military planes carrying illegal immigrants recently landed in the country. 

Despite this, the Indian government has promised to take a stronger stance on illegal immigration, something Trump has strongly supported.

Vikram Misri, a veteran diplomat, remarked last week that Modi and Trump share a "very close relationship." 

However, despite this strong personal bond, the two have yet to make significant progress on a long-awaited trade deal.

When Trump won the 2020 presidential election, Modi was one of the first world leaders to offer congratulations to his "good friend."

This move was in line with Modi‍‍`s history of building strong relationships with U.S. leaders, regardless of political party, over the past three decades.

Many analysts view the India-U.S. relationship as a "natural partnership" in the face of China‍‍`s growing influence, and strengthening ties with India has always been a priority for U.S. presidents. 

However, Trump‍‍`s second term has been marked by dissatisfaction with India‍‍`s trade policies, particularly its tariffs. 

Trump has even called India the "biggest tariff abuser" in the world, and he has used tariffs as a tool against both allies and adversaries.

Lisa Curtis, who served as the Director for South Asia on the National Security Council during Trump‍‍`s first term, noted that Modi is fully aware of Trump‍‍`s frustrations and has prepared to address them. 

Modi is focused on easing tensions and working towards improving relations with the U.S.

On another front, Modi‍‍`s Hindu nationalist government has had to align with one of Trump‍‍`s top priorities—sending illegal immigrants back to their home countries. 

This issue has caught the attention of Latin American countries, but it also affects India, which has the third-largest number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. after Mexico and El Salvador.

The return of Indian immigrants to the U.S. has sparked protests in India, with effigies of Trump being burned. 

Opposition politicians have accused Modi of not taking a stronger stand on this issue. 

However, Modi is unlikely to focus on the criticism of his government‍‍`s treatment of Muslims and other minorities, which was a point of concern under the Biden administration. 

It is highly unlikely that Trump’s administration will bring up this issue during the visit.

Looking ahead, Trump is expected to visit India later this year for a scheduled summit of the Quad alliance, which includes Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.