New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the US from September 21 to 23 to attend the Quad Leaders Summit in Delaware, and whether he will meet former US president Donald Trump there has not been confirmed yet as the schedule is still being worked out, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The clarification comes after Trump on Wednesday asserted that he will be meeting Modi next week during the Indian prime minister’s three-day visit while speaking on the subject of import tariffs and called PM Modi as a “fantastic man”.
Responding to a media query in Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said PM Modi has many meetings planned during his US visit as of now and they would not be able to specifically answer about him meeting Trump.
“Right now, I will not be able to tell you about any specific meeting, whether the meeting has been fixed or not. We are looking from all angles as to how much time we have and with whom we can hold meetings. We will keep updating you about the meetings,” he said.
Watch:
#WATCH | When asked if PM Modi will meet former US President Donald Trump during his upcoming US visit, Foreign Secretary of India, Vikram Misri says,”…There are many meetings with the Prime Minister right now which we are trying to fix. Right now, I will not be able to tell… pic.twitter.com/mwAnKP4koy
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2024
PM Modi’s US visit schedule
Although the foreign ministry has released PM Modi’s agenda for the visit from September 21-23, it does not specifically mention a meeting with Trump. However, the agenda suggests that the Prime Minister is expected to engage with thought leaders and key stakeholders involved in the India-US bilateral relationship and attend the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the UN General Assembly.
President Biden will host QUAD leaders from Australia, India, and Japan in Wilmington, Delaware, on September 21. Although it was India’s turn to host the Quad Summit, India agreed to postpone its hosting until next year following a request from Washington.
What is QUAD?
The QUAD, consisting of Australia, Japan, India, and the US, is an initiative led by President Joe Biden. In the first 100 days of his presidency, Biden organised a virtual leadership summit of the QUAD nations in 2020.