New York: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the White House for a meeting with Donald Trump next month, claimed the US President, according to reports. This comes after a ‘productive’ phone call between the two wherein they discussed about ‘fair’ trade ties.
“I had a long talk with him this morning (Monday). He is going to be coming to the White House over the next month, probably February. We have a very good relationship with India,” Trump told reporters while he was returning to Joint Base Andrews from Florida.
Trump made the remarks when asked about the phone call he had with PM Modi. “Everything came up (in a phone call with Modi),” he told while responding to what he discussed with the Prime Minister.
A White House statement revealed Trump and PM Modi discussed expanding and deepening cooperation. They also discussed security in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East and Europe, and other regional issues.
“Today, President Donald J Trump held a productive call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. The two leaders discussed expanding and deepening cooperation,” the White House said.
“The President emphasised the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship,” the White House said.
Both PM Modi and Trump emphasised their commitment to advance the “US-India strategic partnership and the Indo-Pacific Quad partnership, with India hosting Quad Leaders for the first time later this year.”
Earlier PM Modi on Monday said he was delighted to speak with his ‘friend’ Trump. “We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity and security,” Modi wrote X.
Tracking Trump’s friendship with Modi
Trump and PM Modi share a friendly relationship. During his first term as president, Trump’s last foreign trip was to India. The two leaders addressed thousands at different rallies in Houston in September 2019 and in Ahmedabad in February 2020.
But there are some concerns in New Delhi over the Trump administration’s approach to immigration and tariffs. Trump has already talked about slapping 100 per cent tariffs on the BRICS countries, a bloc that includes India as well.
