Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. on Thursday to discuss trade relations between the United States and India.

  • The meeting came just hours after Trump signed a presidential memorandum proposing reciprocal tariffs for countries that already have tariffs in place that affect the United States.
  • U.S. exports to India average a 9.5% tariff rate compared to the 3% tariff rate on Indian imports to the U.S., according to NDTV World.


During the meeting, the two world leaders agreed to negotiate a new trade deal by the fall of 2025. Modi signed the agreement with a Garland Emblem Executive pen, gifted to dignitaries around the world by the Trump administration and supplied by All American Writing Instruments (PPAI 113946, Silver).

“It’s really humbling and great to see Garland, a USA-made writing instrument, ‘writing’ history during the trade agreement with India,” says Ian Brudenell, national sales manager at All American Writing Instruments. “What great symbolism of a historic international partnership and a nod to USA manufacturing!”

Presidential seal on the Garland Emblem Executive pen

Made In America

All American Writing Instruments, a fourth-generation family business that has been providing the government with writing instruments for years, is poised to capitalize on the renewed push for domestic manufacturing as part of Trump’s tariff-laden trade policy.

  • The 96-year-old Linden, New Jersey-based company provided pens for Trump’s second inauguration.


“We saw during the pandemic that something like this does put in the mind of a distributor that maybe they need to diversify and include a U.S. option in their portfolio of suppliers,” Colleen Shea, vice president of sales at All American Writing Instruments, told PPAI Media in December.

It’s really humbling and great to see Garland, a USA-made writing instrument, ‘writing’ history during the trade agreement with India.”

Ian Brudenell

National Sales Manager, All American Writing Instruments

“When things like tariffs happen or when a port gets shut down, it would be good for distributors to have an established relationship with a USA-made company that they know has filled orders and that they feel comfortable doing business with.”

  • Nearly half (46%) of PPAI 100 suppliers and distributors plan to focus on domestic sourcing in 2025, driven by the benefits of reduced shipping times and supply chain resilience, according to PPAI Research.


Tariff Roller Coaster

There’s no official date for when the reciprocal tariffs will be imposed, but White House officials said that Trump wants to move rapidly, suggesting it would be “weeks” and no longer than “a few months” until they are in place, The Hill reported.

The reciprocal tariffs will be customized for each foreign trading partner, based on five different areas:

  • tariffs the nation imposes on U.S. products;
  • unfair taxes imposed;
  • cost to U.S. businesses and consumers from another country’s policies;
  • exchange rates;
  • and any other practices the trade representative’s office determines is unfair.


RELATED: Global Tariff Announcement Causes Temporary Congestion In Promo

The move is considered a significant escalation in what has become a global trade war. 

  • While the U.S. is India’s largest trade partner as of 2024, India ranks 10th in the list of U.S. trading partners for the same year, according to CNN.
  • The bilateral trade between the U.S. and India stands at $129.2 billion.


The global reciprocal tariffs are among a flurry of tariff announcements the president has made in the past three weeks, which PPAI Media has covered with promo perspectives.


PPAI, with assistance from our lobbyists at Thorn Run Partners, sent a letter to top congressional leaders on Feb. 6 urging them to work toward a balanced trade policy that protects American interests while ensuring that American businesses, such as those in the promotional products industry, are not disproportionately burdened.


For questions or suggestions on regulatory or government affairs issues, please contact Rachel Zoch at RachelZ@ppai.org.