India-US ties have grown from strength to strength: PM in new year call to Trump

India-US ties have grown from “strength to strength”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told US President Donald Trump in a new year greeting call, the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement early on Tuesday morning.

The Prime Minister extended new year greetings to President Trump, his family and the people of the United States.

“PM Modi stated India-US relations have grown from strength to strength. The PM highlighted significant progress made in deepening strategic partnership in previous year and expressed desire to continue to work with President Trump for enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” said the government.

The government said the US President also wished the people of India prosperity and progress in the new year.

“He (Trump) expressed satisfaction at the achievements in the relationship in the last few years and reiterated his readiness for further deepening bilateral cooperation,” said the government.

Earlier this week, India’s outgoing Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the two countries are close to concluding a trade package that would provide enhanced market access to both countries.

At the second 2+2 meeting of their foreign and defence ministers in December, the two nations sealed a key defence agreement to further enhance the interoperability of their militaries.

In September last year, Modi and Trump demonstrated much bonhomie and camaraderie at the joint appearance during the Howdy Modi event in Houston. They hugged, clasped hands, clapped each other on the back and had only the most eloquent praise for each other, the ties between their nations and governments and spoke of the “historic” importance of their joint appearance.

On display was the growing closeness between the two leaders, the easy camaraderie they have come to develop and share over their meetings and interaction, bilaterally and at multilateral meetings.

“You have never had a better friend as president than President Donald Trump,” Trump said, referring to himself in the third person. And the “the prime minister knows that”.

It was Modi who brought up the same subject before introducing Trump to the audience. He reminded Trump of a slogan he used as a candidate for the White House in 2016 — “Abki bar Trump sarkar”, which was version of Modi’s campaign slogan “Abki bar Modi Sarkar”.