Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday gifted a signed copy of his book ‘Our Journey Together’ to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the two leaders met at the White House.
Trump at his Oval Office welcomed PM Modi with a warm hug before settling down for the crucial talks.
“I am delighted to see you back at the White House,” PM Modi told President Trump.
During this joint presser, Trump also presented a memorable photo from his 2020 historic trip to India when he visited the Taj Mahal.
PM Modi and US President Donald Trump shared a hug as the latter welcomed the former at the White House on Thursday (local time). Trump and PM Modi warmly greeted each other and shook hands. While meeting PM Modi, Trump said, “We missed you, we missed you a lot.”
As he was welcomed to the White House on Thursday, PM Modi gave him a hug and told him, “It’s great to see you again.”
This was PM Modi’s first meeting with Trump after his re-election and they picked up their bonhomie where they had left off.
Later at a news conference, they referred to their long friendship and recalled their earlier meetings.
Trump said, “I am thrilled to welcome my friend Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India back to the White House.”
“He is a special man,” he said.
He recalled PM Modi’s hospitality to him and his wife Melania in India in 2020 and said he was happy to reciprocate
US President introduced PM Modi to other officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff shared a picture of PM Modi and Trump on X. While sharing the picture on X, Dan Scavino said, “Behind Scenes in the West Wing lobby — @POTUS Trump welcomes Prime Minister @NarendraModi of India to the @WhiteHouse.”
The Indian delegation including External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and India’s Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra arrived at the White House soon after PM Modi’s arrival.
Ahead of PM Modi’s arrival, Indian flags were being put up at the White House. The Prime Minister is among the first few world leaders to visit the US following President Trump’s inauguration. He has been invited to visit within three weeks of the new administration taking office.
Since November 2024, PM Modi and Trump have spoken on the phone twice.
EAM Jaishankar attended the inauguration ceremony of Trump as PM Modi’s Special Envoy.
During the visit, EAM Jaishankar also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and participated in the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ meeting in January 2025.
Ahead of his meeting with Trump at the White House, PM Modi held bilateral meetings with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.
(IANS)
