United States President Donald Trump will travel to India from February 24 to February 25, the White House announced on Tuesday. This will be Trump’s first visit to India as the American president. First Lady Melania Trump will accompany him.
The Trump will travel to New Delhi and Ahmedabad, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said, according to PTI. Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed about the trip in a phone call over the weekend, she added.
“The trip will further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership & highlight the strong & enduring bonds between the American & Indian people,” the White House said in a tweet.
Hours before the announcement, the United States had said that it had approved the possible sale of an Integrated Air Defense Weapon System to India at an estimated cost of $1.87 billion (approximately Rs 1,300 crore).
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defensive partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region,” a US defence department agency announced in a statement.
“India intends to use these defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces, and to expand its existing air defense architecture to counter threats posed by air attack,” it added. “This will contribute to India’s military goal to update its capability while further enhancing greater interoperability between India, the U.S., and other allies. India will have no difficulty absorbing these systems into its armed forces.”
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