Modi to meet Trump at White House, get acquainted over personal dinner

Besides holding official level talks on June 26, US President Donald Trump will host Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a personal dinner at the White House. Apart from official engagements, Modi will meet the Indian diaspora, in a modest meeting unlike the Madison Square Garden bash he had held during his last visit to New York.

“We had indeed looked at some options... but with the overall time factor, we don’t have the flexibility. But, in Washington DC, he will have a community interaction,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Bagley. But insiders said the event was curtailed as the new American dispensation is not as immigrant-friendly as the earlier government.

Both sides are expecting strong shared sentiments on combating terrorism, and  progress on greater cooperation in maritime security, particularly in the Indian Ocean. But experts feel that more than a declaration meeting was necessary for the two leaders to get to know each other, and also to set the tone and the framework for the bilateral relationship. Since Trump has remained inconsistent with his policies, be it for the Middle East or China, Modi will have to hard-sell his Make in India initiative as it collides with  Trump’s America First policy. “We aren’t seeing this visit in terms of big announcements, and would not like to raise expectations. The first meeting between the two leaders will be important, and they will have ample opportunities to speak again this year,” an official said.

Modi is scheduled to land in America on the evening of June 24. On June 25, he is slated to meet the CEOs of major companies and address a reception of about 600 Indian community leaders in Washington, hosted by Ambassador Navtej Sarna.