President Trump is wheels up from historic India visit

The President and First Lady Melania Trump are now en route back to Washington, D.C., after a productive and awe-inspiring trip to India this week.

The two-day schedule was packed with both working meetings and visits to cultural landmarks such as the Taj Mahal. Yesterday, President Trump received a roaring welcome from over 100,000 people at a rally hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Melania and I have been awed by the majesty of India and the exceptional kindness and generosity of the Indian people,” President Trump said. “We’ll always remember the magnificent welcome the citizens of your home state showed us upon arrival.”

PHOTOS: President Trump and the First Lady in India!

Earlier today, the President spoke to reporters about his successful visit and the growing power of the U.S.–India partnership. A few highlights:

On India: “I admire your country tremendously. I respect your Prime Minister tremendously . . . I think that India is going to be a tremendous player [now and] over the next period of 50 years and 100 years.”
On economic opportunity: “We just had a meeting . . . I thought it was a great meeting with some of the biggest businessmen in the world that come from India. They’re agreeing to invest billions and billions of dollars.”
On trade: “We also talked about tariffs because as you know, India is probably the highest-tariff nation in the world, meaning charging tariffs to outsiders. And I said we have to stop that. We have to stop it.”
On the Middle East: “We don't have to act as a police force. We can act as a military force to win—not a military force to just take care of things in that very, very difficult part of the world.”

As part of President Trump’s talks with Prime Minister Modi this week, India is set to buy more than $3 billion of advanced American military equipment for its troops. A stronger India will boost U.S. efforts to defeat terrorism and drug trafficking worldwide.

The President also teased progress toward a major new trade deal, which would come on the heels of a recent Phase 1 agreement with China and the NAFTA-replacing USMCA.

“We think we’re at a point where our relationship is so special with India,” President Trump said alongside Prime Minister Modi. “It has never been as good as it is right now.”

President Trump: America received an incredible welcome from the people of India!

🇺🇸 🇮🇳 Replay: Opening day of the President’s trip