(NDTV)
Officials in India and the United States have worked hard and long to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to the White House during the Trump presidency a success. Ahead of their first meeting on Monday afternoon, US President Donald J Trump has received detailed briefings on India and relations between the two countries including the growing defence cooperation. He has also picked up a smattering of Hindi that he is expected to show off during his meeting with PM Modi, and later.
“Donald Trump is learning Hindi words for the meeting with Prime Minister Modi… He will say Trump Sarkar welcomes Modi Sarkar,” said Chicago industrialist Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar, who was considered the chief architect of the presidential candidate outreach to the Indian-American community last year. It was during this fiercely-contested election campaign that the billionaire candidate had adapted PM Modi’s catchy election slogan for the 2014, “Ab ki baar Modi Sarkaar” (This time, a Modi government) to “Ab ki baar Trump Sarkar” in a 30-second commercial to reach out to Indian Americans.