Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the new US President, Donald Trump had their first official phone-pe charcha late on Tuesday. This conversation comes four days after he was sworn in as the 45th President of America.
Trump’s Press Secretary, Sean Spicer said President Trump had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Modi but did not disclose any details. However, later the White House released a statement revealing that President Trump had invited PM Modi to visit the United States later in the year. Modi also tweeted on Wednesday morning that he invited Trump to India.
The statement also said that the two leaders discussed economic and defense cooperation and regional security issues.
Modi tweeted about the “warm” conversation he had with Trump.
With this phone call, Modi became the fifth foreign leader Trump has spoken to over phone after being sworn in as the US President on 20 January.
On 21 January, Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican Premier Pena Nieto.
On Sunday, Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and on Monday he had a telephonic conversation with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Trump Looks Forward to working With PM Modi
After Trump surprised the world with his historic victory in the 8 November general elections, Modi was among the first five world leaders to have congratulated Trump.
During his gruelling election campaign, India is among the few countries in addition to Israel with whom Trump spoke of strengthening ties if elected to power.
At a charity event organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition for the Kashmiri Pandit terror victims and the Bangladeshi Hindu victims in Edison on 15 October, Trump, as the then Republican presidential nominee, had praised India's fast growth rate and Modi's bureaucratic and economic reforms.
Under a Trump Administration, we are going to become even better friends, in fact I would take the term better out and we would be best friend. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi. India is key and a key strategic ally.
(With Reuters, PTI inputs.)
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