It seems US President Donald Trump has been making special effort to hit it off with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the scheduled visit in Washington. The billionaire president has learnt some tidbits in Hindi that he is expected to show off during his meeting with PM Modi.
“Donald Trump is learning Hindi words for the meeting with Prime Minister Modi… He will say ‘Trump Sarkar welcomes Modi Sarkar,” NDTV quoted Chicago industrialist Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar as saying. Notedly Kumar is considered the chief architect of the presidential candidate outreach to the Indian-American community last year.
Trump picked up the popular election slogan for the 2014, “Ab ki baar Modi Sarkaar” (This time, a Modi government) and made it “Ab ki baar Trump Sarkar” in a 30-second commercial to make his campaingn more appealing to Indian Americans.
According to Kumar, Trump has been brifed adequately about the Indian prime minister.”That is just the start of a great relationship,” he said adding “He has through me, as well on his own, enough people (to brief him)… he knows Prime Minister Modi really well.”
Kumar also pointed out that the White House chief strategist Steve Bannan has “studied Modi” and that “they already know where Modi stands, where he wants to take India,”
President Donald Trump will host his “true friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House today for their first meeting as they look to strike a personal rapport and discuss a range of “strategic issues” of common interest, including trade and counter-terrorism. Modi and Trump would spend several hours together in various settings including one-on-one and delegation-level meetings, a reception and a working dinner.
“Look forward to welcoming Indias PM Modi to @WhiteHouse on Monday. Important strategic issues to discuss with a true friend!,” Trump had posted yesterday on his official (@POTUS) Twitter handle. Modi, in his reply to Trump, thanked him for the “warm personal welcome” and said he was “greatly” looking forward to the meeting and discussions.