PM Modi holds trilateral meeting with Trump, Abe on sidelines of G20 Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a trilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump and Japanese premier Shinzo Abe here Friday ahead of the formal opening of the G-20 Summit. During the Japan-America-India trilateral meeting, Modi highlighted “the importance India attaches to” the grouping. “Committed to a better future. Meeting of JAI (Japan-America-India)Trilateral takes place in Osaka. PM @AbeShinzo welcomes the leaders. @POTUS congratulates Prime Ministers Modi and Abe for their electoral victories. PM Modi highlights the importance India attaches to JAI,” the prime minister’s office tweeted.

Later, the prime minister will meet Trump separately during which the issue of growing global trade frictions is likely to feature prominently.

The Modi-Trump meeting assumes significance as the US president, championing his ‘America First’ policy, has been a vocal critic of India for levying “tremendously high” duties on US products.

Before his arrival in Japan on Thursday, Trump tweeted, “I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi about the fact that India, for years having put very high Tariffs against the United States, just recently increased the Tariffs even further. This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!”

This would be Modi’s first meeting with Trump after the BJP’s landslide win in the parliamentary election.

On Thursday, Modi held wide-ranging talks with Abe on the global economy, issues of fugitive economic offenders and disaster management.

Prime Minister Modi will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Putin and other leaders during the June 28-29 summit.

This will be Modi’s sixth G-20 Summit.