Trump’s visit to India

Tens and thousands of people are lining up the street in Ahmedabad city to greet visiting US President Donald Trump on his first visit to the world’s most populous democracy.

Mr Trump will inaugurate the world’s largest cricket stadium in Gujarat Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home town, which is expected to cost over  £10m ($13m).

The visit is being seen many as a pleasant trip to  India where Mr Trump is not expected to face tough questions, but win some easy political points for his domestic politics.

4.5 million Indian American voters who are a growing political force in the US might focus their attention on Trump’s visit to India.

A trade agreement with India following months of negotiations was expected to be the centrepiece of the visit- a big political win for Mr Trump if he could seal the deal.

The US-India bilateral trade stands at $160bn, and hopes of an agreement have been fading for weeks as the US expressed concerns over issues like rising tariffs, price controls and India’s position in e-commerce, Immigration of skilled workers and the visa regime.

India wants restoration of trade concessions under a tariff system called the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which give additional benefits for products from least developed countries. Mr Trump, however, terminated the GSP benefits for India in 2019.

Media reports also suggest key multi-billion dollar defence deals are in the offing on Mr Trump’s Indian visit, including a possible sale of an integrated Air Defence Weapon System for $108bn.

This would be President Trump and Prime Minister Modi’s fifth meeting in eight months.

US President Donald Trump is staying at ITC’s Maurya hotel with Lady Melania Trump in-suite costing £9000 per night which offers a private spa, gym, personal chef and butler and Microbiological laboratory for food testing, with 12-seater peacock themed dining room. It has bullet-proof glasses and exclusive high-speed elevators.