‘Will Meet PM Modi Next Week,’ Says Donald Trump While Calling India ‘Big Abuser Of Trade Ties’

New Delhi: Republican US Presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week during his visit to the US. The former US president announced this while campaigning in Michigan. PM Modi is a “fantastic man”, said Trump, at the same time calling India a “very big abuser” of trade ties.

Stressing that India imposes heavy tariffs on imports, Trump told the crowd: “So when India, which is a very big abuser. He (Modi) happens to be coming to meet me next week, and Modi, he’s fantastic. I mean, fantastic man. A lot of these leaders are fantastic.”

He did not elaborate on the meeting, NDTV reported.

Notably, PM Modi will visit the United States from September 21 to 23. He will take part in the Quad Summit and address the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The visit will start with the fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by President Joe Biden in his hometown Wilmington in Delaware. PM Modi will then travel to New York to address a gathering of the Indian community in Long Island on Sunday.

A day later, the Prime Minister will address the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the United Nations General Assembly. The theme of the Summit is ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’. The Prime Minister will also interact with the CEOs of leading US-based companies to foster greater collaborations between the two countries in the cutting-edge areas of AI, quantum computing, semiconductors and biotechnology, the foreign ministry said.

He is expected to interact with thought leaders and other stakeholders active in the India-US bilateral landscape.

PM Modi and Donald Trump last met in February 2020, when he visited India. PM Modi described it as a “path-breaking” moment in strengthening the relations between the two nations.