PM Modi, US President Trump exchange greetings over phone, discuss key bilateral issues

During the conversation, they exchanged new year greetings and expressed satisfaction at the continued growth of the India-US strategic partnership in 2018.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump/ Courtesy: AP

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation and exchanged New Year greetings while discussing a number of other issues too.  The leaders took positive note of bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, counter terrorism and energy, officials said. During the conversation, they exchanged new year greetings and expressed satisfaction at the continued growth of the India-US strategic partnership in 2018, they said. They also appreciated developments such as the launch of the new two plus two dialogue mechanism and the first ever trilateral summit of India, US and Japan. The two leaders also took positive note of the growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy, besides the co-ordination on regional and global issues, the officials said. During the conversation that took place last evening, Modi and trump also agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening of India-US relation in 2019. A readout from White House about the conversation said: “President Trump received a call today from PM  Narendra Modi of India on the occasion of the New Year. The leaders agreed to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the US trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and increase cooperation in Afghanistan.” (inputs from PTI)