Trump and Narendra Modi to spend five hours together; new areas of anti-terrorism cooperation to be announced during the visit.

Washington: President Donald Trump is eager to build on the momentum in U.S - India ties built over recent years and this resolve will be visible during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first meeting with him on Monday, a senior White House official said. “White House is very interested in making this visit special and really seeking to roll out the red carpet,” the official said, dismissing the suggestion that Mr. Trump’s courting of China has created a drift in U.S ties with India.

“It will be wrong to say that this administration is ignoring or not focussing on India. President Trump realizes that India is a force for good and that will come through in the visit on Monday,” the official said. Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi will spend nearly five hours on Monday, starting with a one-on-one meeting at 3.30 pm, followed by a delegation level meeting, a cocktail reception and a working dinner, the official said, briefing on background.

Mr. Modi will be the first foreign dignitary who will be hosted by Mr. Trump for a White House dinner, the official said. Mr. Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for state dinners at his private golf resort Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

The official said while defence cooperation will be accelerated and enhanced, cooperation in energy, particularly natural gas, will be a new thrust in bilateral ties under the Trump administration. New areas of anti-terrorism cooperation will be announced during the visit. “We can expect to see some new initiatives…more willingness to increase information sharing, data sharing, access to data bases, regarding terrorist activities..” said the official.

“Defence trade strengthens both our countries’ security. It reinforces security partnership and allows our armed forces to cooperate more closely. Defence trade with India has created thousands of American jobs,” the official said.

The President considers India a critical partner in dealing with a variety of global challenges, the official said. “We believe that a strong India is good for the U.S,” said the official. “President wants to build on that,” the official said, referring to the previous administration’s measures to promote defence cooperation with India. The Obama administration had designated India as a ‘major defence partner,’ an undefined term. The White House official said there will be some “concrete expression of that designation” during the visit. Climate change cooperation between India and the U.S would continue under the Trump administration, the official said. “US has been a leader in clean energy technology, environmental protection, and this administration will continue that leadership,” said the official.

The official gave clear indication that the pending Indian request for 22 unarmed Guardian drones would be cleared during the visit. saying no comments could be made before the U.S Congress is notified. The CEO of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, manufacturers of the UAV told Defense News that the sale has been cleared. “We are pleased that the U.S. government has cleared the way for the sale of the MQ-9B Guardian to the Indian Government,” said Linden Blue. “Guardian provides the endurance and capability required to significantly enhance India’s sovereign maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is standing by to support the US and Indian Governments throughout this process.”

Indian defence orders support thousands of jobs in the U.S and the Indian student population of 1.66 lakhs in the U.S generates economic activity of five billion dollars and support another 64,000 jobs in the U.S, according to the official. The White House official pointed out Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi are two leaders with a large number of Twitter followers and both are innovative in thinking.

America will also seek stronger IPR protection in India and lowering trade barriers, the official said.

Both leaders will read out a brief statement each after the one-on-one, but the they would not take question from the media. The official indicated that this was done at India’s behest.

When pointed out that “when a person of Mr. Modi’s stature visits the White House,” they usually take questions, the official said: “I don’t want to comment on that. That is the preference of the leaders.” “Don’t read too much into it,” said the official, when reporters pressed why questions will not be allowed.

The official recalled that the President had expressed his admiration for the Indian American community during his campaign last year. “He had then said India would have a true friend in the White House if he wins,” the official said, referring to Mr. Trump’s speech at a gathering of Indian Americans organized by Shalabh Shalli Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC).