Delighted, says Modi as Trump to join US event

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s September 22 diaspora outreach event in Houston called “Howdy, Modi!”, the White House confirmed early on Monday — a move seen as a boost to India-us relations and a nod to the growing personal equation between the leaders.

Trump will not only attend but also address the event at NRG Stadium for which more than 50,000 people have registered in three weeks, people familiar with arrangements for the programme said. Modi is visiting the US from September 21-27 for events in Houston and to address the UN General Assembly in New York. While Trump attended factory openings and other ceremonies with foreign leaders, his address at a diaspora outreach event alongside a visiting foreign leader is a rare occurrence.

Trump’s presence will send out a strong signal at a time when Pakistan is planning to bring up the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly, and several American lawmakers have expressed concern about the security lockdown in Jammu & Kashmir.

Pakistan had sought to leverage Trump’s request for help in the Afghan peace talks by seeking his mediation on Kashmir. Trump agreed and repeated his offer three times, before backing off in the face of an unambiguous push back from India.

Trump will also have his eyes on garnering support from the Indian-american community ahead of his re-election bid in 2020. “Howdy, Modi!” will be attended by a bipartisan delegation of US governors, members of Congress, mayors and other officials. However, the venue of bilateral talks between Trump and Modi is yet to be firmed up, the people quoted above said. Both leaders will have a tight schedule in Houston and it is expected they will hold talks, either one-on-one or with delegations, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

This will be the third meeting between the two leaders this year. They earlier met on the margins of the G20 Summit in Japan and the G7 Summit in France.

Announcing Trump’s participation in the Houston event on Sunday, the White House said it will be a “great opportunity to emphasise the strong ties” between the people of the two countries.