NEW DELHI — Indian BJP government likely to bristle at US President DonaldTrump’s support for Pakistan at Indian Soil.
A massive, cheering crowdlink.Baseball caps with his name on them. A life-size cut cutout of himselfflashing the thumbs up.President Donald Trump got all the pageantry he’dbeen promised on day one of his first trip to India since taking office.
But Trump also made some remarks that may not be as well received by IndianPrime Minister Narendra Modi: he highlighted the “very good” U.S.relationship with Pakistan and the importance of unity among India’svarious religions.
On stage he announced a $3 billion deal to sell American-made militaryequipment to India, a move he cast as a sign of deepening tieslinkbetweenthe two countries.”I believe the United States should be India’s premierdefense partner, and that’s the way it’s working out,” Trump said.
The carefully-coordinated event in Ahmedabad, a city about 580 miles fromNew Delhi where both leaders spoke, was part of a two-day spectacle thatModi had promised to deliver for Trump.
They stepped on stage to raucous cheers from a crowd that appeared to fillthe 110,000-capacity stadium, exchanged multiple hugs and stoodside-by-side as the U.S. and Indian national anthems played.In his ownspeech, Modi heaped praise upon Trump, repeatedly calling him a friend.”President Trump thinks big,” he said.Anoushka Shankar’s mesmerising musical journeyAd by euronewsSee More[image: President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and Indian PrimeMinister Narendra Modi arrive for a “Namaste Trump,” event at Sardar PatelStadium, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Ahmedabad, India.]
Trump was equally effusive about Modi, but he also kicked off his firsttrip to India by touching on a major geopolitical flashpoint for his hostcountry by praising the U.S. relationship with Pakistan.
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The president noted that his administration has positive ties with Pakistanas the two countries try to combat terrorism on the Pakistani border.
“Our relationship with Pakistan is a very good one thanks to theseefforts, we are beginning to see signs of big progress with Pakistan,”Trump said.
The Indian government is likely to bristle at Trump’s expression of supportfor Pakistan while on Indian soil, given longtime tensions between the twocountries, particularly over control of Kashmir, Euronews has reported.
Trump also twice remarked on the importance of unity among Hindus, Muslims,Buddhists, Christians and Jews, at a time when Modi is under pressure for acrackdown on religious minorities.
