Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his happiness over US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s visit to India on February 24 and 25.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said that he is “delighted” that Trump and his wife will be visiting Delhi this month and added, “India will accord a memorable welcome to our esteemed guests”.
“This visit is a very special one and it will go a long way in further cementing India-USA friendship,” he tweeted.
Extremely delighted that @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS will visit India on 24th and 25th February. India will accord a memorable welcome to our esteemed guests.
This visit is a very special one and it will go a long way in further cementing India-USA friendship.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 12, 2020
In another tweet, PM Modi said India and the US “share a common commitment to democracy and pluralism”.
“Robust friendship between our nations augurs well not only for our citizens but also for the entire world,” he added.
India and USA share a common commitment to democracy and pluralism. Our nations are cooperating extensively on a wide range of issues. Robust friendship between our nations augurs well not only for our citizens but also for the entire world.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 12, 2020
Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump had said that he is looking forward to his first visit to India later this month and indicated that the two countries may sign a trade deal.
The US President is slated to travel to India on February 24 and 25 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In addition to New Delhi, he will make a stop in Ahmedabad in Gujarat to address a joint public meeting with PM Modi at a stadium.
“He (Modi) is a great gentleman and I look forward to going to India. So, we’ll be going at the end of the month,” President Trump said while talking to journalists at his Oval Office, a day after the White House announced dates of his anticipated India trip.
Trump’s visit does not come as a surprise move as earlier on January 16, the Ministry of External Affairs had stated that over the proposed visit of President Trump, India, and the USA are in contact through diplomatic channels.
Over the last three years, President Trump and PM Modi have developed a personal friendship and in 2019, the duo met four times including their joint address before a strong 50,000 crowd of Indian-Americans in Houston.
This year, they have spoken over the phone on two occasions, including the one over the weekend.
“Just spoke with Prime Minister Modi,” Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday in response to a question on his India visit.
“Excited to travel to India later this month,” said President Trump referring to his conversation with PM Modi during which the Indian Prime Minister apparently told him about the hundreds and thousands of Indians who would be there to welcome him in Ahmedabad.
PM Modi and President Trump are slated to jointly address a massive public rally at the newly built Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad.
In September last, PM Modi during the “Howdy Modi” event in Houston, had invited President Trump and his family to India.
During the 2+2 ministerial dialogue, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who called on their American counterparts Mark Esper and Mike Pompeo, had also invited the American President to India.