Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day working visit to the US from February 12 during which he will meet President Donald Trump, Ministry of External Affairs(MEA)announced here on Friday.
Addressing a press conference, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Modi's visit will give further impetus and direction to India-US bilateral relationship.
Prior to his US visit, Modi will be in France from February 10-12 to co-chair the AI Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron. He will also visit Cadarache, the site of International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor of which India is a partner, Misri said.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit, which will happen within the first month of Trump assuming office, comes amid the US President's tariff threats to India and the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants.
Announcing the visit, Misri said, "Prime Minister Modi would be amongst the first few world leaders to visit the United States following the inauguration of Trump. The fact that the Prime Minister has been invited to visit the US within barely three weeks of the new administration taking office shows the importance of the India-US partnership and is also reflective of the bipartisan support that this partnership enjoys in the US."
Trump has already met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is slated to hold talks with Japan's Shigeru Ishiba this week in Washington.
Modi and Trump, who shared warm relations during latter’s first term, had telephonic conversation last week., Both sides called it "productive". The two leaders discussed immigration, security and trade ties, the White House said.
Modi, referring to Trump as his "dear friend", said the two leaders would work together for the "welfare of our people" and "towards global peace". Trump had last year called Modi a "great leader."
Another primary focus of Prime Minister Modi's visit will likely be immigration issues as it comes in the backdrop of 104 illegal Indians being deported by the US on a military aircraft. The issue led to a massive uproar in Parliament, with the opposition flagging the "inhuman manner" in which the Indians were deported with handcuffs and their legs chained.
The bonhomie between the two leaders was on show during Trump's first term when he hosted the Prime Minister for the 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston. Prime Minister Modi reciprocated by holding a 'Namaste Trump' event in Ahmedabad during Trump's visit to India.