Osaka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held wide-ranging talks with US President Donald Trump and discussed ways to leverage the power of technology, improve defence and security ties as well as issues relating to trade, Iran and 5G.
The prime minister, who is in Osaka, Japan for the G20 Summit, thanked Trump for expressing his “love towards India” in a letter delivered by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week.
Modi said India stands committed to further deepen economic and cultural relations with the US. The two discussed Iran, 5G, bilateral relations and defence ties on the sidelines of the summit.
“The talks with @POTUS were wide ranging. We discussed ways to leverage the power of technology, improve defence and security ties as well as issues relating to trade. “India stands committed to further deepen economic and cultural relations with USA,” Modi said on Twitter.
The US reimposed sanctions on Iran in November after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six world powers. To reduce Iran’s crude oil export to zero, the US ended on May 2 waivers that had allowed the top buyers of Iranian oil, including India, to continue their imports for six months. India, complying with the US sanctions, has ended all imports of oil from Iran.
Trump congratulated Modi on his election victory and said that the two countries would work together in many areas including military.
“It was a big victory, you deserve it, you have done a great job. We have big things to announce. In terms of trade, in terms of manufacturing, we would be discussing 5G. I congratulate you and I look forward to talks,” Trump said.
“We have become great friends and our countries have never been closer. I can say that with surety. We will work together in many ways including military, we’ll be discussing trade today,” he said. Both leaders discussed various bilateral and global issues,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a tweet.
The two leaders met shortly after the Japan-America-India trilateral meeting during which Modi highlighted “the importance India attaches to” the grouping.
The Modi-Trump meeting assumes significance as the US president, championing his ‘America First’ policy, has been a vocal critic of India for levying “tremendously high” duties on US products. (PTI)
