Amid turmoil in US, Trump calls Modi to invite him for G7 summit

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the G-7 summit to be held in the United States later this year, acting on his desire to expand the size and scope of the grouping of major world economic powers. Modi has accepted the invitation and offered “to work with the US and other countries to ensure the success of the proposed Summit.”
The two leaders spoke over phone on Tuesday morning US time (evening IST) even as racial tensions roiled America, discussing a range of topics including the situation on the India-China border, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the need for reforms in the World Health Organisation.
A statement from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office said Modi also expressed concern regarding the ongoing civil disturbances in the US, and conveyed his best wishes for an early resolution of the situation.
“President Trump warmly recalled his visit to India in February this year. Prime Minister Modi said that the visit had been memorable and historic on many accounts, and had also added new dynamism to the bilateral relationship. The exceptional warmth and candour of the conversation reflected the special nature of the Indo-US ties, as well as the friendship and mutual esteem between both leaders,” the statement said.

"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 tweeted soon after the call.
The fact that Trump found time to engage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid turmoil in the US suggests he is sure of overcoming the ongoing domestic crisis, and is even confident of a second term in office.
The US President had earlier indicated he would host the G7 summit on the sidelines of annual UN General Assembly session in September, or after the Presidential elections on November 3 -- assuming the inevitability of his own re-election – after the meeting he had scheduled for June was derailed by the pandemic.
German chancellor Angela Merkel threw a spanner in the works saying she was not in a position to attend because of the pandemic situation in her country, and other leaders were also lukewarm about the gathering which brings together the heads of government from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Japan.
Trump wants to expand the grouping to G10 or G11 by including India, South Korea, Australia, and possibly Russia. China, the world’s second largest economy, is not a member, and nor is Brazil, whose economy is larger than at least four of the current G7.
New Delhi has embraced the invitation to the high table notwithstanding Trump’s domestic crisis and the tensions with other members of the G7.
"Prime Minister Modi commended President Trump for his creative and far-sighted approach, acknowledging the fact that such an expanded forum would be in keeping with the emerging realities of the post-Covid world. The Prime Minister said that India would be happy to work with the US and other countries to ensure the success of the proposed Summit," the PMO statement said.
Watch US President Donald Trump calls PM Modi to invite him for G7 summit