This high-stakes meeting could have been bungled at any stage with clashing egos. But Modi took the high road against Trump’s volatility, negotiating in the backroom, and striking deals that pacify him without compromising on national interest.

As soon as PM Modi landed in the US, he got straight to business—meeting some of the biggest names in Trump’s MAGA orbit. First up was Tulsi Gabbard, the newly sworn-in Director of National Intelligence. In fact, Modi was her very first high-profile meeting after taking charge. That’s right—America’s top intelligence agencies, from the CIA to the FBI, now report to Tulsi, a Hindu and a strong advocate of India-US ties.

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Next in line was Mike Waltz, Trump’s National Security Advisor and another staunch India supporter. Then came Elon Musk, who showed up with three of his kids in tow. Right after him, it was Vivek Ramaswamy, accompanied by his father-in-law. It almost felt like all the MAGA heavyweights had turned up to welcome PM Modi. But what about the biggest one—Donald Trump himself?

Trump, as expected, was in full deal-making mode before his meeting with Modi. He had just announced reciprocal tariffs on any country that taxes American goods, and guess who was at the top of that list? India—because it has the highest tariff regime among major economies. This meant India was set to take the biggest hit.

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But the moment Modi walked into the White House, the mood........

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