Days after US President Donald Trump said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “going to be coming to the White House, over next month, probably February”, the central government Friday confirmed that the two sides are working on an early visit of the Prime Minister to the US. The Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Friday, “Prime Minister and President Trump had a telephone conversation recently. The two sides are working on an early visit of the PM to the US to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Specific dates for the visit would be announced at the appropriate time.” Earlier, the White House had said that during their phone call Monday that the two leaders also discussed plans for Modi to visit the US. New Delhi and Washington are looking at February 14-15 as possible dates for Modi’s first bilateral visit to the US after Trump assumed office for second time. Modi is also scheduled to travel to Paris for the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit on February 10-11 and is likely to spend another day there. Trump has been invited but there is no confirmation about his attendance yet. If both leaders are there, then Modi and Trump are likely to meet on the sidelines of the Summit and that could mean their bilateral in D.C. – what New Delhi prefers – may be deferred. Sources said that PM’s visit — if it doesn’t happen in February — “should happen by April.” The thinking is that there should be an early visit by PM Modi before Trump comes to India later this year for Quad leaders’ Summit. This PM-level visit is being planned to smoothen the conversation on tough issues of immigration and tariffs. Talking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked on January 28, “Did he (Modi) agree to take illegal immigrants?” “He (Modi) will do what’s right. We are discussing,” said Trump. “I had a long talk with him this morning (Monday). He is going to be coming to the White House, over next month, probably February. We have a very good relationship with India,” Trump had said. “The leaders agreed to remain in touch and meet soon at an early mutually convenient date,” a statement by MEA had said following the phone call. “Everything came up (in a phone call with Modi),” Trump had told reporters. In a readout of the phone call, the White House had said that Trump had a “productive” phone call with Modi and sought a move towards a “fair” bilateral trading relationship and deeper India-US cooperation. “The two leaders discussed expanding and deepening cooperation. They also discussed a range of regional issues, including security in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe,” it had said. “The President emphasised the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship,” the White House had said. “The leaders discussed plans for Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House, underscoring the strength of the friendship and strategic ties between our nations,” it had said.
