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Business Standard MUMBAI I THURSDAY, 30 MARCH 2017 
After Trump phone call, govt weighs if Modi should visit US early 
ARCH IS MOHAN 
New Delhi,29 March 
The Monday night phone call 
of US President Donald Trump 
to Prime Minister Narendra 
Modi could pave the way for an 
early visit of the Indian PM to 
Washington. The Trump 
administration is keen to host 
Modi. But South Block is look-
ing at the potential deliverables 
from such a visit, particularly 
on H1B visas. The Indian PM's 
political stature has increased 
manifold after his recent elec-
toral successes, while Trump's 
presidential tenure has moved 
from one problem to another. 
Delhi doesn't want Modi to 
invest his substantial political 
capital to help Trump burnish 
his image, without the visit 
yielding positive results for the 
Indian side. Modi is scheduled 
to visit New York to attend the 
UN General Assembly in 
September. But, the Trump-
Modi telephonic conversation 
has indicated to South Block, 
and to those who look at foreign 
policy issues within the 
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 
that the Trump administration 
is keen to host the Indian PM 
for a bilateral visit in the next 
couple of months. 
Earlier this month, Foreign 
Secretary S Jaishankar, accom-
panied by Commerce Secretary 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi 
Rita Teaotia, was in the US. Last 
week, National Security Advisor 
Ajit Kumar Doval was also on a 
visit to the US. External Affairs 
Minister Sushma Swaraj and US 
Secretary of State Rex W 
US President Donald Trump 
Tillerson had also recently spo-
ken over the phone. 
In his phone call, Trump 
congratulated Modi on his 
recent state election victories, 
expressed support for his eco-
nomic reforms and said he had 
great respect for Indians, and 
said he looked forward to host-
ing the PM later this year. 
The window for such a visit is 
available in May, as well as in 
June after the PM attends the 
Shanghai Cooperation Organ-
isation Summit in Kazakhstan 
in the second week.

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