Trump to visit India early next year, his relationship with PM Modi is great: Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said that President Donald Trump is likely to visit India early next year, underscoring the strong personal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said that President Donald Trump is likely to visit India early next year, underscoring the strong personal rapport between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and describing India-US ties as "fantastic". Speaking to news agency IANS in Washington DC, Rubio said he expects to travel to India before the end of the year to finalise preparations for the presidential visit. Read Full Story "We're hoping that's what we're working towards - sometime early next year to have the President come. I think it's very positive. India is such a close partner and ally of the United States, and the relationship between the Prime Minister and the President couldn't be closer, which I think is really important in diplomacy,” Rubio said.
If the visit takes place, it will mark Trump's first trip to India since February 2020 and his first since returning to the White House for a second term. Trump and PM Modi last met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, in what was their first bilateral meeting in 16 months. Praising the relationship between the two leaders, the US Secretary of State said, "the relationship between the President and the Prime Minister of India is great." The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Washington continue negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement, which Rubio said was nearing completion.
"I think it's going fantastic. It's very strong. We had a great meeting with the Prime Minister, the President did at the G7. We're hoping to finalise a trade deal. We're on the last inches of getting it done and it's very positive," he said. Rubio added that both countries were looking forward to another meeting of the Quad grouping and that he hoped to return to India before the end of the year to help set up the presidential visit. Furthermore, Rubio also hailed PM Modi's leadership and said he was a "fan" of the Indian leader and credited him with elevating India's standing on the global stage.
"Modi has made India a global power," he said. On energy cooperation, Rubio said India and the United States were working closely to increase supplies and noted that India is among the few countries with the capability to refine heavy crude. Ends
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