Washington: US President Donald Trump announced plans to visit India soon, describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great man” and his “friend”.
Speaking at a White House press conference on Thursday, Trump said trade talks between the two nations are progressing “very well,” signalling a strengthening of US-India relations ahead of his proposed visit.
“He’s a friend of mine, and we speak, and he wants me to go there. We’ll figure that out. I’ll go… He’s a great man and I’ll be going,” he added.
When asked if he would travel to India next year, Trump said, “It could be, yeah.”
The US President also recalled his previous visit to India in 2020, adding, “I had a great trip there with the Prime Minister.”
Additionally, he claimed that India has “largely stopped buying oil from Russia.”
Trump’s remarks come just days after the White House reaffirmed his admiration for Prime Minister Modi, noting that the two leaders communicate “pretty frequently”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, responding to a question on India-US relations on Tuesday, said that Trump “feels very positive and strongly” about the partnership between the two nations.
“I know the President has great respect for Prime Minister Modi, and they speak pretty frequently.”
On the trade negotiations, Leavitt had revealed that Trump and his team are in “serious discussions” with the Indian side.
”The President and his trade team continue to be in very serious discussions with India with respect to that topic,” she added.
She also pointed to last month’s Diwali celebration at the White House and the appointment of Sergio Gor as the next US Ambassador as further evidence of President Trump’s commitment to strengthening ties with India.
“He recently, a few weeks back, spoke to Prime Minister directly when he celebrated in the Oval Office, Diwali, with many high-ranking Indian American officials here at the White House. We have a great US Ambassador to India in Mr Sergio Gor, who will represent our country very well,” she noted.
On October 21, Trump hosted a special Diwali event at the White House, where he described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a great person” and stated that he loves “the people of India.”
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Photo: IANS
–IANS
