India, Feb. 15 -- WashingtonPresident Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have noted the importance of advancing people to people ties between India and the US even as the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment against illegal immigration, days after the US sent a military plane with 104 illegal migrants back with more such flights expected to land in India over the next two days.

As the two leaders met at the White House on Thursday, this was an issue that had assumed particular significance amid growing political and racist backlash over Trump's hard stance in his first month in office.

Modi on Thursday called for a battle against the entire "ecosystem" and "racket" that allowed illegal migration to flourish, but the leader...