US President Donald Trump on Sunday made a surprise phone call during an event in Delhi that was attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, showing his profound respect and love for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The call was put on speaker by Gor during the event at the US Embassy in New Delhi which marked America's 250th Independence Day.
"I love India... I just want to say hello to everybody. I love the Prime Minister. PM Modi is great, he is my friend," Trump said, adding that India can count on him and he would always be there to support New Delhi if the country needs his assistance.
"They call right here. We're doing well. We're setting records. We have a record economy, a record stock market and anything India wants to get. I am a big fan of Prime Minister Modi... Marco is the greatest. He's going down as the greatest Secretary of State in the history of the US... Say hello to Prime Minister Modi and let him know I'm a big fan," he said.
The bonhomie between PM Modi, Trump
Later, Gor addressed the event and said whenever Trump speaks to him, he first asks about how his "friend" PM Modi is doing. Gor said this was important to convey because this relationship is not something new.
This is not the first time when Trump has expressed his admiration for PM Modi. On several earlier occasions, he has called the prime minister a dear friend and repeated that he admires his work a lot, and that he is always ready to support India.
Rubio's India visit
Coming to Rubio, the Secretary of State is in India for a four-day visit. On Saturday, he met PM Modi and invited him on behalf of Trump to White House. The two held discussions over several issues, including the crisis in the Middle East, Indo-Pacific region and ways to bolster bilateral ties.
Later, the State Department said Rubio and PM Modi have agreed to strengthen the trade and defence cooperation between India and the US. It also said the US is considering expanding cooperation under the Quad framework.
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