PM Modi, US Prez Trump to meet at G-20 meet in June

Washington DC: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan next month as both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two years. Trump telephoned Modi to congratulate him on the historic electoral victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the White House said Friday.

"The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said. The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29. The US and India have made enormous strides together which include the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and combined military exercises, the historic civil nuclear deal, the nearly six-fold increase in US-India trade, the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner.

Later speaking to reporters at the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to Japan, Trump said, "I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations. "I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. PTI