President Donald Trump will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a massive meeting of American Indians in Houston, the White House said Sunday, in a symbolic sample of the link between the two leaders and countries.
The September 22 rally – nicknamed, with a touch of Texan bell, "Hello, Modi!" – It will mark a rare joint appearance between an American president and a foreign leader before an ethnic community, and will be the third meeting of the couple this year.
The organizers say that more than 50,000 people have signed up for the event, which will take place inside the NRG stadium of the Houston Texans football team.
The meeting is "a great opportunity to emphasize the strong ties between the people of the United States and India, to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the oldest and largest democracies in the world and to discuss ways to deepen their energy and trade relationship" said the White House. said.
The White House said Trump would travel to Ohio on the same day to exhibit an Australian-owned factory alongside Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who will make a state visit.
The two joint appearances amount to a one-day attempt to foster relations with foreign leaders by Trump, whose brazen style and direct comments have often baffled allies.
The demonstration with Modi indicates that the two countries turned the page of an incident in July when Trump baffled India by saying, in a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan, that Modi had sought mediation in Kashmir.
India has rejected for decades any external role in Kashmir.
Last month, the Indian government repealed article 370 of its constitution, stripping occupied Kashmir of its special status and imposed a strict blocking and blackout of communications in the region.
India's actions generated criticism from the UN human rights chief and human rights groups, and Pakistan urged pressure on India.
After Article 370 was revoked, Trump spoke with Prime Minister Imran and Prime Minister Modi, urging a reduction of tension between the two countries on the issue of Kashmir. He later said that India and Pakistan could handle their dispute over Kashmir occupied on their own, but that he was there if they needed it.
Arriving across the hall
Trump and Modi have frequently made comparisons between them, with the two right-wing leaders elected in votes to promote the identity of the majority community.
But the organizers hope that the September 22 demonstration will not be partisan, with a planned cultural performance and invited guests, including Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat in the House of Representatives.
The joint event shows "personal chemistry and friendship" between Trump and Modi, said Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the Indian ambassador to the United States. AFP.
"These are two leaders who are used to thinking outside the box," he said, and described the joint appearance as "unconventional and unique."
"The event will also reflect the strong bipartisan support there has been for relations between the United States and India," he said, describing Native Americans as an "organic bridge" between the two largest democracies in the world.
Shringla said Modi would also meet with energy companies in Houston before heading to New York for the UN General Assembly.
About four million Americans trace their origins back to India and the community is one of the most educated and prosperous in the United States.
The average Indian-American household earned about $ 100,000 in 2015, almost double the US average, according to the Pew Research Center.
But while Modi is likely to enjoy a rock star reception in Houston, American Indians are not expected to be an important base for Trump as he prepares to seek another term in next year's elections.
About 84 percent of American Indians voted in 2016 for their rival Hillary Clinton, making them one of the ethnic groups most inclined to Democrats, according to surveys of the Education and Legal Defense Fund of Asia and America.
During the 2016 campaign, Trump participated in a rally in New Jersey in which he declared, uncomfortably, "I love the Hindu."
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1505524/in-show-of-bond-trump-to-join-modi-in-mass-houston-rally