On Thursday, when Modi arrives in the White House, he’d be among a handful of leaders visiting Trump in the first weeks of his second presidency.

And yet the Trump-Modi conviviality and heady talk of strategic partnership may mask a sobering reality: during Modi's visit, the relationship's transactional side will come into sharp relief with each leader,

The partnership is a pillar of Washington’s strategy in the Indo-Pacific region but faces challenges on issues including illegal immigration, visas and trade deficits.