Ahead of Indian PM Modi’s meeting with Trump, New Delhi frets over possible US-China deal

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the rounds in Washington on Thursday – ahead of meeting with US President Donald Trump late in the day – analysts said that while New Delhi was confident about reaching a trade agreement, it remained uneasy about the prospect of a “grand deal” between China and the US.

Mukesh Aghi of the United States-India Strategic Partnership Forum said New Delhi officials had voiced a particular concern: “While we focus on driving this relationship closer with the US, will Trump make a deal with China and leave us hanging as far as India goes?”

He added there was “overall optimism” in India about reaching a deal with Trump, but also “some sense of trepidation”.

Aghi also noted that while India doesn’t want to “burn bridges” with China, it expects Beijing to remain “aggressive and assertive in the region”.

Other analysts noted that since Trump’s return to power last month, New Delhi has drawn unusual attention from Washington. They suggested that Trump’s advisers are eager to strike a deal with India that would sideline Beijing, using deeper trade and defence ties with New Delhi as leverage in negotiations with China.

Analysts also anticipated more US tariffs on Chinese goods, while Modi looks to offer trade concessions and investments to Trump during his meeting to address the $US45 billion trade surplus India holds over the US.