Exclusive: White House Dinner Boosts India-US Relations
India-US Relations: White House Dinner with Tech Leaders
Top US Tech CEOs at White House Invitation
For hosting this, and this is quite a group to get together, I think. All of the companies here are building, making huge investments in order to build data centres. On September 9, 2025, nearly all leading US technology giants were invited to a dinner event organized by President Donald Trump at the White House
Then it doesn’t see you attended the event.
Indian-Origin CEOs at the Dinner Table
However, during this dinner, one thing was also noticed. Amid his ties with India, Trump did not fail to invite top Indian-origin CEOs. The list of Indian tech moguls on the table included:
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai
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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
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Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra
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TIBCO Software Chairman Vivek Ranadivé
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Palantir Executive Shyam Shankar
In fact, he even shared some fun banter with them. “Google had an excellent day yesterday, and perhaps you’d like to share a bit about that success,” Trump commented
AI Moment and US Investments
Biden was the one that prosecuted that, plus you know it’s a long process. I appreciate that. You know your administration had a constructive dialogue, and we want a resolution.
This is truly the AI era—one of the most defining changes any of us have witnessed or will witness in our lives. To ensure the US remains at the forefront, your administration is already making major investments.
Already, the AI action plan under your leadership is a great start, and we look forward to working together. Thanks for your leadership. Great job. You’re doing incredible, really good. What about Microsoft? That’s a big number.
Here we are. United States around 75 to 80 billion dollars. Thank you very much.
Trump’s Trade War with India
The White House dinner table on the night of 4th September witnessed a strong Indian-American presence. This raised questions—is the US trying to tone down its stance with India?
Right after the Putin-Xi-Modi meeting concluded at the SCO Summit in China, US Secretary Marco Rubio commented on India-US relations.
Trump’s Comments on India-US Relations
Earlier, Trump himself commented:
Our relations with India are strong, but India needs to recognise that for years the balance was unfair. It was only after I came to office and used tariff power that the situation shifted. India had been imposing some of the world’s steepest tariffs, ranked at the very top.
We therefore weren’t doing much business with India, but they were doing business with us because we weren’t charging them. Foolishly, we weren’t charging them. So they would send in massive amounts of everything they made, pouring into our country. Therefore, it wouldn’t be made here.
I’ll give you an example—Harley-Davidson. Harley-Davidson couldn’t sell into India; there was a 200% tariff on a motorcycle. So what happened? Harley-Davidson went to India and built a motorcycle plant. And now they don’t have to pay tariffs. Same thing as us.
Tariffs and US Manufacturing Boom
As a result, thousands of companies are now moving operations to the US—ranging from car manufacturers to AI firms. Numerous automobile plants are already being built or are currently in the design phase
They’re coming from China, they’re coming from Mexico, and they’re coming from Canada. A lot of them are coming from Canada, but they’re coming into our country because they want to build here.
And they want to build here for two reasons:
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They’d like to be here.
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The tariffs are protecting them.
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They want to avoid paying tariffs.
If they manufacture their cars within the US, they avoid paying any tariff. When you build here, you don’t have any chance.
Conclusion
The White House dinner was not just a political event but a reminder of how nations connect through people and ideas. With Indian-origin leaders at the table, it showed the deep human bond shaping India-US relations. Beyond trade and tariffs, it was about trust, respect, and shared vision. As technology and diplomacy move forward, this partnership carries the hope of a stronger and brighter future
