Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his “extreme delight” that US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump will be in India later this month and said they will be accorded a “memorable welcome”.
In a series of tweets, the prime minister said India and the US share a common commitment to democracy and pluralism.
“Our nations are cooperating extensively on a wide range of issues. Robust friendship between our nations augurs well not only for our citizens but also for the entire world,” he said.
The US president and the first lady will travel to New Delhi and Ahmedabad during the visit from February 24-25, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in Washington on Tuesday.
Extremely delighted that @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS will visit India on 24th and 25th February. India will accord a memorable welcome to our esteemed guests.
This visit is a very special one and it will go a long way in further cementing India-USA friendship.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 12, 2020
Trump would participate in a grand roadshow in Ahmedabad and also tour the Sabarmati Ashram and inaugurate a newly-built cricket stadium here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said on Wednesday.
During his visit to Modi’s home state Gujarat, Trump along with the Indian prime minister would participate in a grand roadshow, planned along a 10-km decked-up stretch from the Ahmedabad airport to the Sabarmati Ashram, they said.
Trump and Modi would later inaugurate the newly-constructed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in the city’s Motera area and address a gathering.
The mega event at the stadium will be similar to the “Howdy, Modi!” event held in the US last year. Citizens here have dubbed the upcoming visit of the US president at the Sardar Patel Stadium as “Kem Chho, Trump!” (Howdy Trump) event, the sources said.
Modi and Trump shared the stage at the “Howdy Modi!” gala event in Houston in September last year and addressed a record crowd of 50,000 Indian-Americans.
Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu were accorded a grand welcome in Ahmedabad during their visits between 2014 and 2018.
The three leaders had also visited the Sabarmati Ashram with Modi and paid respects to Mahatma Gandhi.
Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama had travelled to India twice, in 2010 and 2015.
