Modi, Trump discuss COVID situation, Sino-Indian tensions over phone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with US President Donald Trump over phone on Tuesday (June 2) and discussed the COVID-19 pandemic among other issues, which also included the Indo-China border tensions, according to a government statement.

The statement, however, did not elaborate on the discussions regarding the standoff between the militaries of the two Asian neighbours. It said that Modi also expressed concern regarding the ongoing civil disturbances in the US, and conveyed his best wishes for an early resolution of the situation.

The US President also invited Prime Minister Modi to the G7 Summit in the US, and has conveyed his desire to expand the ambit of the grouping beyond the existing membership, to include other important countries including India, the government said.

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PM Modi and President Trump, who visited India last February, also discussed issues such as “the COVID-19 situation in the two countries” and “the need for reforms in the World Health Organisation,” according to the statement.

The richness and depth of India-US consultations will remain an important pillar of the post-COVID global architecture.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2020

“Had a warm and productive conversation with my friend President @realDonaldTrump. We discussed his plans for the US Presidency of G-7, the COVID-19 pandemic, and many other issues,” Modi said in a tweet on Tuesday.

The richness and depth of India-US consultations will remain an important pillar of the post-COVID global architecture, the prime minister said.

(With inputs from agencies)