Trump likely to visit India early next year, PM Modi shares strong bond with him: Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that President Donald Trump is likely to visit India early next year, highlighting the strong personal relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and describing India-US ties as "fantastic."
Speaking to IANS in Washington, Rubio said he expects to travel to India later this year to finalise preparations for the presidential visit. If the trip takes place, it will be Trump's first visit to India since February 2020 and his first since returning to the White House for a second term.
Rubio said the close rapport between Trump and Modi has played an important role in strengthening diplomatic ties between the two countries. He added that New Delhi and Washington are also in the final stages of negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, expressing confidence that the deal could be concluded soon.
The two leaders last met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France earlier this month, marking their first bilateral meeting in 16 months. Rubio also said both countries are looking forward to the next meeting of the Quad grouping and reiterated his plans to visit India before the end of the year.
Praising Prime Minister Modi's leadership, Rubio said he is a "fan" of the Indian leader and credited him with elevating India's global standing. He also noted that India and the United States are working closely to strengthen energy cooperation, including increasing supplies of crude oil.
