This Article is From Feb 20, 2020

Ahmedabad Event For Trump "Will Have Few Parallels," Says Government

PM Narendra Modi will host US President Donald Trump to a two-day visit to India.

New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump will reach India on February 24 for what the foreign ministry said would be a  "brief, very intense" visit. The US President's first view of India would be Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat. Ahmedabad is the first of his three stops, the ministry said, where a grand event - called "Namaste Trump" - to welcome him will "showcase India's rich and diverse culture that will have few parallels in India or elsewhere".

"US President Trump will land in Ahmedabad around noon, from there he will go to the Motera Stadium to address the 'Namaste Trump' event. The route from the airport to the stadium -- we expect a large number of people will line-up," ministry spokesperson Ravish Kumar said, referring to the roadshow where President Trump said he was expecting seven million people.

Talking of the route from the Ahmedabad airport to the stadium, he said, "We expect a large number of people lined up along the route". So far, 28 stages have been set up which will represent various parts of the country, on which artistes will be performing.

"The roadshow will feature Mahatma Gandhi's life and we are expecting large number of people to greet President Trump outside the stadium," Mr Kumar added.

The programme at the Motera Stadium would be like the "Howdy Modi" event, Mr Kumar said, referring to the mega programme at Houston in US, where President Trump had shared stage with the Prime Minister and addressed the assembled Indians.  

The other stop on President Trump's schedule is Agra, where the work to spruce up the Taj Mahal is already on. President Trump's last stop is Delhi, where bilateral and delegation level meetings will be held.

"This will be US President Trump's first visit to India. It will be his fifth meeting with PM Modi in 8 months," foreign ministry spokesperson Ravish Kumar said.

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