The Prime Minister’s visit is scheduled for June 25 and 26
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday officially confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, DC, and said that Modi will hold official talks with President Donald Trump on June 26.
The Prime Minister’s visit is scheduled for June 25 and 26. This is Modi’s first meeting with Trump.
“Prime Minister will hold official talks with President Trump on June 26. This will be the first meeting between the two leaders. Their discussions will provide a new direction for deeper bilateral engagement on issues of mutual interest and consolidation of multi-dimensional strategic partnership between India and the U.S,” the official statement read.
The White House also confirmed the news and said that the President “looks forward” to his meeting with the Indian Prime Minister.
“The President looks forward to discussing ways to strengthen ties between the United States and India and to advance our common priorities: fighting terrorism, promoting economic growth and reforms, and expanding security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi will look to outline a common vision for the United States-India partnership that is worthy of their 1.6 billion citizens,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement.
However, the meeting comes amidst India’s rejection of Trump’s Paris accord charge and H-1B visa issues, so not much is expected.
According to an earlier Times of India report, the Prime Minister will also attend an industry round-table with US CEOs and have meetings with individual lawmakers.
Modi was one of the first leaders to congratulate Trump after his victory in the November elections and the inauguration in January. Trump, then called Modi and invited him to visit the United States this year itself.
Trump, who described Modi as “great man”, also congratulated him on BJP’s thumping victory in March’s assembly elections.
Earlier this month, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj refuted Trump’s accusations that India is gulping “billions and billions” of dollars from developed nations as climate change fund.
The H-1B visa issue also remains as another niggling factor between the two countries.