As PM Modi Reaches US, President Trump Calls Him 'A True Friend': 10 Facts

The meeting between PM Modi and President Trump is expected to highlight three major areas - defence, terrorism and energy.

Washington:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "true friend" with whom he had "important strategic issues to discuss," US President Donald Trump tweeted today as the PM arrived in Washington DC for their first bilateral meeting on Monday. Thanking him for the "warm personal welcome", PM Modi, replying to President Trump's tweet, said "Greatly look forward to my meeting and discussions with you". Ahead of the much-anticipated meeting, the White House on Saturday said that it was "seeking to roll out the red carpet" for PM Modi, adding that it "will be the first dinner for a foreign dignitary at the White House under this administration". This is PM Modi's first visit to US after the Trump administration came to power early this year

1. On Monday afternoon, President Trump will host PM Modi at the White House where the two leaders will spend around five hours together, beginning with a bilateral discussion, delegation-level talks, followed by a reception and a working dinner.
2. Among the key issues likely to be discussed between the leaders are defence cooperation, boosting economic ties, combating terrorism and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
3. President Trump's review of the H-1B visa programme, a key concern for India, is not expected to figure in the talks.
4. Climate change, though, is expected to be an important part of the discussion; the US has said it will "seek common ground" on the issue. Earlier this month, Donald Trump had accused India of seeking to profit from the Paris climate accord as he announced he was pulling out of the deal this month, drawing a sharp reaction from New Delhi.
5. After the talks, PM Modi and President Trump will deliver a joint statement along with individual statements. There will be no press meet, "as preferred by both leaders".
6. A high point of the visit would be the US' approval for supply of 22 unarmed Guardian drones for the Indian Navy that has been held up for years. The over $2 billion drone deal is likely to be held up as evidence that New Delhi is a "major defence partner" of the US, its biggest arms supplier.
7. "President Trump realises that India is a force for good and that will come through in the visit on Monday," a senior official said.
8. Ahead of the meeting of the two leaders, leading US congressmen have called on President Trump to press PM Modi to remove barriers to US trade and investment.
9. PM Modi will begin his three-day visit to the US with a meeting in Washington DC today with about 20 leading American CEOs including Apple's Tim Cook, Google's Sundar Pichai, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Walmart's Doug McMillon and Caterpillar's Jim Umpleby.
10. Later, the PM will drive down less than two miles away to a lunch reception in the DC suburb of Virginia where he will interact with the Indian community. The programme is likely to be attended by about 600 members of the community.