A week after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to two sources familiar with the matter, Modi spoke with the U.S. President on Monday. Indian media outlet NDTV reported this information.
Earlier, on Monday, January 20, shortly after Trump assumed office, Modi congratulated him, referring to Trump as a “dear friend.” Modi expressed his desire for New Delhi and Washington to work closely together.
Following his inauguration for a second term, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including those targeting immigrants. The United States hosts a significant population of Indian-origin immigrants.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of Indian citizens cross the Canadian and Mexican borders into the United States illegally. After Trump’s executive orders, U.S. law enforcement agencies have launched extensive crackdowns on undocumented immigrants, putting many Indians at risk of deportation.
However, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has stated that India is prepared to repatriate its citizens living illegally in the U.S. On Tuesday, a day after Trump’s inauguration, Jaishankar revealed India’s readiness following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.
Currently, approximately 18,000 Indian citizens are either undocumented or living in the U.S. with expired visas. New Delhi has confirmed its cooperation with the Trump administration regarding the return of these individuals. Jaishankar emphasized that while India supports the global spread of Indian talent and skills, it strongly opposes illegal migration and unauthorized relocation.
According to recent U.S. census data, the Indian-origin population in the U.S. grew by 50% during the 2010s, reaching 4.8 million. Indian government statistics indicate that in 2022, out of approximately 1.3 million Indian students studying abroad, more than one-third were in the United States.