Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a tough negotiator, US President Donald Trump today said the US wants India to become its premier defence partner and both nations tomorrow will sign a three billion dollar defence deal.
“Our relations took a new turn when the Indian and US military has a joint exercise – Tiger Triumph. We make the best military hardware and we now deal with India. Tomorrow we will sign a three billion dollar defence deal. We want India to become our premier defence partner,” he said.
Trump said he has come to India to expand India-US relations and will continue the dialogue to deepen the relation between both the countries. He also thanked India for the contribution that it has made to the booming US economy.
The US president said India has become the largest democracy and become one of the greatest nations in the world in the last 70 years.
Under Prime Minister Modi, Trump said villages in India have access to electricity and over 300 million more have got internet connection.
“India will soon become the home to the world’s largest middle class. What is impressive is that India has achieved all this as a democracy and as a tolerant country. India’s achievement is unrivaled,” he said.
Further praising Modi, Trump said the Prime Minister is hardworking and friendly, but is tough. “India now holds a special place in our hearts. PM Modi started as a ‘Chaiwala’, but he won a big election with a landslide. PM Modi is a hardworking man and he has shown that anything is possible. He is friendly, but is tough,” he said.
On radical Islamic terrorism, Trump said both nations are united in protecting citizens from the threat of radical Islamic terrorism. “Under my administration we unleashed full power of American military on bloodthirsty killers of ISIS. Today, ISIS territorial caliphate is 100 percent destroyed. Al Baghdadi is dead,” he said.
Trump said Modi is not just Gujarat’s pride, but also a moving story of an incredible rise. “PM Modi, you are not just the pride of Gujarat, you are living proof that with hard work and devotion, Indians can accomplish anything at all, anything they want. The Prime Minister is a moving story of an incredible rise,” he said.
On science, Trump said Chandrayaan II is a great program and the US is looking forward to cooperating with India. “US and India will be partners in our journey to the stars,” he said.
“What India has done under Prime Minister Modi is tremendous and I congratulate Prime Minister Modi for this. India has been a wellspring of great wisdom. True strength is not in its books and nature, but in the hearts of the millions of people of this nation,” he added.
On Bollywood and cricket, Trump said, “All over the planet people take great joy in watching Bollywood films, bhangra, and classic films like DDLJ and Sholay. You cheer on great cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli,”
India is a creative hub creating over 2000 movies from Bollywood, he said.
“India embraces liberty, rule of law and freedom. Even though there are so many communities and languages, you all unite as one great Indian nation,” he said.
