PM Modi bows to MAGA, but insists US back MIGA too

TOI correspondent from Washington: India will buy unprecedented amounts of American oil, gas, military hardware and agricultural products to bridge the trade gap between the two countries in return for enhanced US support for its rise through military cooperation, technology transfers in critical areas, and regional dominance, under a deal struck by its leaders.
In four hours to talks and engagements between the two sides on Thursday, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi publicly stood his ground against a rampant President Trump, defusing his tirade about trade barriers with measured concessions, while maintaining he had had as much right to advance India’s interests as Trump had to protect American primacy.
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“President Trump often talks about MAGA (Make America Great Again). In India, we are working towards a Viksit Bharat, which in American context translates into MIGA (Make India Great Again). And together, the India-USA have a MEGA partnership for prosperity!” Modi said, standing up to the discordant note the US President struck earlier with his insistence on reciprocal tariffs against countries, including India, which he said had the run of the American market while not providing reciprocal access to US.
The two leaders however bought time to iron out differences and arrive at a level-playing field by agreeing to initiate talks on a bilateral trade deal by November this year. Officials said they will aim to bump up bilateral trade, currently shy of $ 150 billion, to $ 500 billion annually by 2030.
India has a trade surplus of around $45 billion with the US (it sells $45 billion more to the US than it buys from US), which is about one-sixth of the surplus China has with US ($290 billion). But the US deficit is sufficient to trigger Trump, whose wrath is directed primary at China, Canada, Mexico, and the European Union, with India suffering collateral damage.
Despite their effusive engagement replete with mutual admiration and flattery, the issue played out at the joint White House press conference with Trump publicly excoriating India for high tariffs and trade barriers, Modi standing next to him. But the Indian PM remained cool under pressure, choosing to repeatedly emphasize the big picture.
“When India and US come together, we make 1+1 =11 not 2,” he said, following up his MAGA+MIGA= MEGA equation.
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Although the US appeared to have better of the bargain in the immediate context, Trump flattered Modi, saying “He is a much tougher negotiator than me and he is a much better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest.”
Shortly before he met the Indian PM though, Trump had bristled when asked during an Oval Office presser in what capacity Elon Musk met Modi, saying, “I don’t know…They met, and I assume he wants to do business in India,” before going into another diatribe about India’s high tariffs.
He also smacked down on BRICS grouping, of which India is a part, warning of a 100 per cent tariff is they “play games” against the US dollar, and saying, “BRICS is dead.”
But Indian officials played down the discordant notes, with foreign secretary Vikram Misri saying “both sides had their perspective, but what’s worth noting is we have a way forward,” with upcoming talks on a bilateral trade deal.
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The Indian side also acknowledged that US energy supplies to India, currently at $ 15 billion annually, could go up to $ 25 billion, which would substantially reduce the trade deficit. The uptick would eclipse supplies from nearby Gulf countries and potentially catch up with Russia, which is currently India’s largest supplier.
What India will buy to reduce US trade deficit