Trump to join PM Modi’s mega rally in Houston on Sep 22

Washington: US President Donald Trump will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Houston’s mega “Howdy, Modi!” event on September 22, the White House said on Sunday.

Reflecting on the new bonhomie in the India-US ties under the Trump administration, this is for the first time in recent history that the leaders of the two largest democracies would be addressing a joint rally anywhere in the world.

More than 50,000 Indian-Americans from across the US have registered for the September 22 mega “Howdy, Modi! Shared Dreams, Bright Futures” event to be held at the sprawling NRG Stadium in Houston.

“Howdy”, short for ‘How do you do?’, is a friendly greeting commonly used in southwestern United States.

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Griesham said, the Modi-Trump joint rally will be a great opportunity to emphasize the strong ties between the people of the United States and India.

Griesham added, the event will also reaffirm the strategic partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies and ways to deepen their energy and trade relationship.

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Indian ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla called Trump’s participation in the event historic and unprecedented. He said, it is reflective of the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation that has developed between India and the US.

This will be the third meeting between the two leaders this year, the previous two being in Japan in June on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit and the other one in August in France.