'Howdy Modi': PM Modi marked "another milestone" this week, said US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump on Sunday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with belated birthday wishes while addressing a huge crowd of Indian Americans at "Howdy, Modi" in Houston, Texas. PM Modi turned 69 on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister marked "another milestone" this week, said President Trump at a packed football stadium. "Everyone here joins me in wishing you a very happy birthday," he told an audience of nearly 50,000 people.
Trump called PM Modi "one of America's most loyal and devoted friends" and said he looked forward to working him.
"PM Modi and I have come to Houston to celebrate everything that defines India America relationship," he said.
This was the first time a US President shared a stage with an Indian Prime Minister at an Indian American community event. After the event, PM Modi tweeted: "Thank you Houston for such amazing affection," to which President Trump responded: "The USA Loves India!"
The two leaders will meet again on Tuesday for a bilateral meeting in New York, on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly. Trade talks are among the key issues on the agenda in what would be the fourth bilateral summit between PM Modi and President Trump in the past few months. Tensions between India and the US over trade have been rising with Donald Trump complaining that tariffs imposed by New Delhi on American products were "no longer acceptable."
PM Modi arrived in the US for a week-long tour on Saturday. Starting with a meeting with CEOs of the energy sector, he went on to meet with members of the Indian American community.