WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump has turned down India’s requestto attend its 70th Republic Day celebrations in 2019.

The decision was communicated by US authorities in a letter to NationalSecurity Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, as per reports.

India was confident that Trump would attend but now New Delhi will have tolook elsewhere to find a chief guest for the R-day ceremony.

US in August said that it got an invitation from the Indian authorities buta decision was not taken then.

However, the decision was communicated to Indian authorities recently withonly three months left the ceremony.