File photo of US President Donald Trump meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Feb 25, 2020 in New Delhi. - AFP
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet President Donald Trump during a trip to the United States next week, the foreign ministry in New Delhi said on Friday (Feb 7).
Modi, who will visit Washington from Feb12-13, will be "among the first few world leaders to visit the United States following the inauguration of President Trump", India's top career diplomat, Vikram Misri, told reporters.
"The visit will be a valuable opportunity to engage the new administration on all areas of mutual interest", he said, adding that Modi would hold a bilateral meeting with Trump.
"This has been one of our strongest international partnerships in recent years and the prime minister's visit is in line with our steady engagement with the new administration," Misri said.
Modi was among the first to congratulate his "dear friend" Trump on his inauguration last month, saying he wanted New Delhi and Washington to work closely together.
"I look forward to working closely together once again, to benefit both our countries, and to shape a better future for the world", Modi wrote on social media platform X in January.
However, Trump pressed Modi for "fair" trading ties in a telephone call later that month, the White House said, as Trump pushed his hardline trade agenda with world leaders.
Trump and Modi also discussed strengthening the so-called Quad grouping with Australia and Japan, which is widely seen as a counterweight to China.
India is due to host the bloc's leaders later this year.
The Indian and US leaders, both of whom critics accuse of authoritarian tendencies, enjoyed warm relations when Trump was in the White House from 2017 to 2021.
Modi visited Trump in office in 2017 and 2019.
He also hosted Trump at a huge rally in his home state of Gujarat, while Trump returned the favour with a similar event in Houston, Texas.
Misri said there had been a "very close rapport" between the leaders, although their ties failed to bring a breakthrough on a long-sought US-India trade deal.
"There is an obvious convergence of interests between the two countries," Misri said, which included "trade, investment, technology, defence cooperation, counter-terrorism (and) the security of the Indo-Pacific". - AFP
