PM, Trump hold telephonic talks; discuss COVID-19, Sino-India border row among many issues

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Tuesday discussed various issues, including the situation on the India-China border, the COVID-19 pandemic, and need for reforms in the WHO, an official statement said. During the telephonic conversation, Trump invited Modi to attend the next G-7 summit to be held in the United States.

Modi expressed concern over the "ongoing civil disturbances in the US", and conveyed his best wishes for an early resolution of the situation, the statement said. "The two leaders also exchanged views on other topical issues, such as the COVID-19 situation in the two countries, the situation on the India-China border, and the need for reforms in the World Health Organisation," the statement said.

Trump spoke about the US Presidency of the Group of Seven and conveyed his desire to expand the ambit of the grouping beyond the existing membership, to include other important countries including India. "In this context, he extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to attend the next G-7 Summit to be held in USA," the statement said. Modi commended Trump for his "creative and far-sighted approach", acknowledging the fact that such an expanded forum would be in keeping with the emerging realities of the post-COVID world. Modi said that India would be happy to work with the US and other countries to ensure the success of the proposed summit.

Trump warmly recalled his visit to India in February. Modi said that the visit had been memorable and historic on many accounts, and had also added new dynamism to the bilateral relationship. The exceptional warmth and candor of the conversation reflected the special nature of the Indo-US ties, as well as the friendship and mutual esteem between both leaders, the statement said.

Tweeting about their conversation, Modi said, "Had a warm and productive conversation with my friend President @realDonaldTrump. We discussed his plans for the US Presidency of G-7, the COVID-19 pandemic, and many other issues." The richness and depth of India-US consultations will remain an important pillar of the post-COVID global architecture, the prime minister said. The conversation between the two leaders came against the backdrop Trump maintaining that he spoke with Modi who was not in a "good mood" over the China border issue.

Sources in the government here had denied any "recent contact" between the two leaders. Trump had also offered to mediate between India and China.

The last conversation between them was on April 4 2020 on Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)