Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he is looking forward to his meeting with ”my friend” US President Donald Trump in Washington later this week.

”We will work together for the mutual benefit of the people of our two countries and shape a better future for the world,” he said in a statement ahead of his departure on a five-day visit to France and the United States.

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Mr Modi said that although this will be their first meeting following President Trump’s historic electoral victory and inauguration in January, he has a very warm recollection of working with the American leader during the latter’s first term in building a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between India and the US.

He said the visit to the US on February 12-13 will be an opportunity to build upon the successes of their collaboration in President Trump’s first term and develop an agenda to further elevate and deepen the bilateral partnership, including in the areas of technology, trade, defence, energy, and supply chain resilience.

The PM will be amongst the first few world leaders to visit the US following President’s Trump inauguration for a second term.

President Trump spoke with Mr Modi on January 27 when he discussed immigration and stressed on the importance of India buying more American-made security equipment and fair bilateral trading ties.

On his visit to France from February 10-12, the PM said he looks forward to co-chairing the AI Action Summit, a gathering of the world leaders and global tech CEOs, where there will be exchange of views on collaborative approach to AI technology for innovation and larger public good in an inclusive, secure and trustworthy manner.

The bilateral segment of his visit, Mr Modi said, will provide an opportunity to review the progress on the 2047 Horizon Roadmap for India-France strategic partnership along with ”my friend” French President Emmanuel Macron.

”We will also travel to the historic French city of Marseille to inaugurate the first Indian Consulate in France and also visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project, in which India is a member of the consortium of partner countries including France, to harness energy for the global good. I will also pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who laid down their lives during World Wars I and II at the Mazargues War Cemetery,” he said.