Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet twice in less than a week this month, India's top envoy to America has said. He asserted that India-US strategic relationship has potential to become "defining partnership" within this century. Since his re-election in May this year, Prime Minister Modi has met President Trump twice. previous two meetings of two leers were on sidelines of G-20 summit in Japan and G-7 Summit in France this summer.

PM Modi-Trump meeting twice next week

Later this week when Modi arrives in US, y "are scheduled to meet twice more", India's ambassor to US Harsh Vardhan Shringla told a Washington audience on Wednesday. So, y would have "four meetings in span of a few months," Shringla said during 'India on Hill: Charting a Future for Indo-US Relations' event jointly organised by two think tanks ' Herit Foundation' from US and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) from India. Modi is scheduled to arrive in Houston on Saturday.

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UNGA and 'Howdy Modi!' meeting

A day later, Trump would join him in dressing mega "Howdy Modi" rally to be attended by more than 50,000 Indian-Americans. two leers are again scheduled to meet later in week in New York on sidelines of UN General Assembly sessions. "y will meet on 22nd September. US President is joining Prime Minister in dressing a huge Indian diaspora event in Houston and y will also meet on margins of UNGA in New York," Shringla said.

Modi-Obama meetings

Modi and Trump's predecessor Barack Obama have record of maximum number of meetings between leers of two countries, but this is first time that Indian prime minister and American president would be meeting four times within a span of four months. "It's really reflective of nature of (India-US) relationship," Shringla said while participating in a panel discussion during first-of-its-kind two-day event. "India-US strategic partnership has emerged as one of key bilateral relationships from start of this century and has potential to become defining partnership within this century," he said.

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Indo-US strategic ties

ambassor said building blocks of this strategic partnership was security cooperation which has emerged w in place. Shringla said it was important to te how far two countries have come in a short span of a dece since Civil Nuclear Agreement. India and United States have signed Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Association (LEMOA). Several or agreements are at different sts of discussion, he said. two countries w conduct more bilateral exercises with each or than y do with any or country. Bilateral exercises held annually include Malabar (naval exercise that also includes Japan), Cope-India (Air Force), Yudh Abhyas (Army) and Vajra Prahar (Special Forces), Shringla said.

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Indo-US military exercises

India also participates in annual RIMPAC exercises as well as in Red Flag exercises which are US-led multinational exercises. Indian defense procurements from US have also seen a tremendous growth, he said. "We have also instituted 2+2 Dialogue a joint meeting between Foreign and Defense Ministers of two countries," Indian diplomat said. two countries also eng through Trilateral Summit level meetings between India, US and Japan as well as Qurilateral DG-level meetings between India, US, Japan and Australia.

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"It is worth mentioning that we also have a bilateral maritime security dialogue and several or defense cooperation dialogue mechanisms," Shringla said. "A key area that has seen close bilateral cooperation is counter-terrorism. We have a Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism (JWGCT) and a Designations Dialogue. This cooperation also spills over into multilateral fora. " listing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leer Masood Azhar by UN Security Council in May 2019, in wake of Pulwama terrorist attack, is one such instance," he said.