Donald Trump, Narendra Modi Meeting: Indian PM Visiting White House As US-India Relations Cool

President Donald Trump will be meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday for the first time since his inauguration. A one-on-one meeting between the two leaders is scheduled for 3.50 p.m. EDT, to be followed by talks involving top officials from both sides.

After the meetings, a joint statement will be released, and then the two leaders will address questions of reporters in a press conference, according to Indian TV news channel NDTV.

Even though the White House had previously stated that neither the president nor the Indian prime minister is going to take any questions from the reporters following the meeting, the schedule has been revised since and it has been decided that the two leaders will take one pre-selected question each from the gathered reporters.

Read: Time ‘Person Of The Year’: India’s Narendra Modi Tops Readers’ Poll

The meeting is aimed at consolidating the alliance between the United States and India, a diplomatic relation that has cooled somewhat due to Trump’s “America First” policy that vows to place the H1-B visa program under review. The program is used by Indian software engineers to work and stay in the U.S. after getting employed by American companies.

Something that also struck a discord with Trump’s nationalist instincts in recent times was Modi inviting U.S. and other international companies, like Apple, to set up manufacturing plants in India under the “Make in India” initiative.

However, the tone for the upcoming meeting seems to positive and enthusiastic. Both leaders took to Twitter, one of their go-to social media platforms, and posted upbeat messages in anticipation of the meeting. While Trump called the Indian prime minister his “true friend,” Modi thanked the president for the “warm personal welcome.”

There are a few topics that the two leaders are most likely focus on during their meeting. These include defense contracts, counter-terrorism measures and the deteriorating relationship between India and neighboring Pakistan.

Read: Indian PM Modi Criticizes Controversial ‘Triple Talaq’ Muslim Divorce Law

The Indian prime minister is most likely to push the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative that facilitates U.S. arms technology transfers to India, Indian newspaper the Economic Times reported. Rumors have been floating for weeks of an arms deal being struck between the two nations, involving 100 armed Predator drones made by General Atomics. Modi will also likely seek Trump’s support for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that will be manufactured in India.

The Trump administration has blamed Pakistan for harboring terror groups that were planning to hit India and Afghanistan.

“Pakistani-based terrorist groups will present a sustained threat to the U.S. interests in the region and continue to plan and conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan,” National Intelligence Director Daniel Coats told the Senate intelligence panel, Hindustan Times reported.

To put an end to the common enemy of terrorism, Modi and Trump are expected to work towards strengthening defense ties.

Modi is also expected to meet Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin.