Former U.S. President Donald Trump said at a campaign event on Tuesday that he will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week.
Trump however said that India is as a “very big abuser” of the U.S.-India trade relationship.
No Mention Of Venue Of Meeting
The Republican candidate for the November presidential election, speaking in Flint, Michigan, gave no details on where they would meet.
Summit In Delaware
U.S. President Joe Biden will host a summit with leaders from Australia, India and Japan on September 21 in Delaware.
New Delhi Seen As Counter To China’s Rising Influence
Analysts say Washington has increasingly seen New Delhi as a counter to China’s rising influence in Asia.
Some other world leaders who have visited the U.S. in recent months for meetings with Biden and other summits have ended up meeting Donald Trump as well.
Tight Race Between Donald Trump And Kamala Harris
The Republican faces Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election.
Polls show a tight race between Trump and Harris, who is of Indian descent.
Donald Trump Says Modi Is Fantastic
Despite criticising India over trade without being specific, Trump called Modi “fantastic.”
The two leaders enjoyed warm relations while the former president was in office.
Modi’s Hospitality For Trump In 2020
When Trump visited India in 2020, Modi held a huge rally for him that also marked the opening of the world’s largest cricket stadium in Gujarat.
Rally attendees wore “Namaste Trump” hats to welcome the Republican.
How The Two Leaders Praised Each Other In 2019?
When Modi visited the U.S. in 2019, he and Trump showered each other with praise at a “Howdy, Modi!” rally in Texas attended by more than 50,000.
Modi’s Relations with Obama And Biden
Modi has also enjoyed good relations with Democratic presidents like Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
The White House rolled out the red carpet for him last year, touting deals on defense and commerce.
(With Inputs From Reuters)
