US President Barack Obama, who had struck up a close rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ever since the latter’s electoral victory in May 2014, made a farewell telephone call on Wednesday, thanking him for partnership in expanding bilateral relations.
The two leaders reviewed the “joint efforts of cooperation including defense, civil nuclear energy, and enhanced people-to-people ties,” the White House said in a statement.
“Both leaders discussed the progress they have made on shared economic and security priorities, including recognition of India as a Major Defence Partner of the United States and addressing the global challenge of climate change,” the statement noted.
During the conversation, Obama also recalled the invitation that Modi had extended to him to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in 2015 and wished the Prime Minister warm congratulations ahead of the upcoming 68th Republic Day anniversary.
Obama was among the first world leaders to greet Modi upon his electoral victory as leader of the BJP-led NDA in May 2014, inviting him to visit the United States – an invitation that made quick amends for the manner in which Modi had been denied a visa to the US back in 2005.
Modi visited Washington in September 2014 and met with President Obama in what was the first of eight meetings between the two over the next couple of years.
One of these meetings was in Paris in November 2015 that proved to be critical to the success of the efforts to hammer out the accord on climate change.