Modi, Trump swap invites; vow to fight global terror
During their telephonic conversation on Tuesday night, the two leaders also extended invitations to each other for bilateral visits.
New Delhi: Four days into office, US President Donald Trump declared India a “true friend and partner” in a phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which they vowed to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” in the fight against terror, and strengthen defence and economic ties.
During their telephonic conversation on Tuesday night, the two leaders also extended invitations to each other for bilateral visits. Meanwhile, tweeting on Wednesday morning that he had invited President Trump to visit India, PM Modi said he and the US President had “agreed to work closely in the coming days to further strengthen our bilateral ties” and that he had “a warm conversation” with the US President.
On Wednesday, the White House said in a statement, “During a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, President Trump emphasised that the US considers India a true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world.”
“President Trump looked forward to hosting Prime Minister Modi in the US later this year,” it said, according to new agency reports from Washington.
The two leaders discussed opportunities to strengthen the partnership between the US and India in broad areas such as economy and defence.
Besides this, they also discussed security in the region of South and Central Asia. President Trump and PM Modi resolved that the US and India stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the global fight against terrorism, the statement said.
Mr Modi, who is the fifth foreign leader Mr Trump has spoken with over phone after being sworn in as the new US President on January 20, said, they “agreed to work closely in the coming days to further strengthen our bilateral ties”.
“Had a warm conversation with President @realDonaldTrump late last evening,” the PM tweeted. “Have also invited President Trump to visit India,” he said.
After Trump surprised the world with his historic victory in the November 8 elections, Mr Modi was among the first few world leaders who congratulated him.
During his gruelling election campaign, India was among the few countries in addition to Israel with whom Mr Trump spoke of strengthening ties if elected to power.
On January 21, Mr Trump spoke with British PM Theresa May, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. On Sunday, he spoke with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and on Monday he had a telephonic conversation with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.