PM Modi, Trump hold ‘open & productive’ meeting; discuss trade, 5G, Iran issues

TIL Desk/National/Osaka/ Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a “very open and productive” meeting with US President Donald Trump, including on bilateral trade issues, as the two leaders pledged to provide a “strong leadership” to the world to address pressing global challenges like terrorism.

Modi, who is in Osaka, Japan to attend the G20 Summit, thanked President Trump for expressing his “love towards India” in a letter delivered by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week. The Prime Minister said that India stands committed to further deepen economic and cultural relations with the US and the two leaders 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,” Modi tweeted after the meeting. “India stands committed to further deepen economic and cultural relations with USA,” he said. Briefing reporters, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the meeting was “very open and productive”.