'Saving big trade deal with India for later', says Donald Trump ahead of his two-day visit

In a clear indication that a major trade deal between India and US is not on the cards during his upcoming visit, Donald Trump has said that he is 'saving the big deal' with India for later and he doesn't know if it will be done before the US presidential elections that are scheduled for November this year.

"We can have a trade deal with India. But I'm really saving the big deal for later," Donald Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday.

Trump is on a two-day visit to India next week.

Media reports have claimed that the two countries could sign a 'trade package' during the visit.

On being questioned whether he expects a trade deal with India before the visit, Trump said, "We're doing a very big trade deal with India. We'll have it. I don't know if it'll be done before the election, but we'll have a very big deal with India."

Saying that he's excited to visit India, the US President said that he likes PM Narendra Modi a lot. "I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot. "He told me we'll have seven million people between the airport and the event. And the stadium, I understand, is sort of semi under construction, but it's going to be the largest stadium in the world. So it's going to be very exciting... I hope you all enjoy it," Trump told mediapersons.

Trump, along with the First Lady, Melania Trump, will visit Ahmedabad and New Delhi on February 24 and 25 respectively, according to a White House announcement earlier. This would be his first bilateral visit in the third decade of the 21st century and also the first after his acquittal by the Senate in the impeachment trial.