Donald Trump invited to be Chief Guest at next year's Republic Day Parade: Report

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has been invited as the chief guest for next year’s Republic Day parade. The invitation was sent in April and the Trump administration has indicated that it is favourably considering the proposal, a Times of India report said. The invitation, which comes a year after 10 ASEAN leaders were invited for the celebrations will be seen as a move to bolster bilateral ties. If Trump accepts the invitation, he will be the second US president to grace the occasion. In 2015, his predecessor, Barak Obama attended the parade. The invitation comes against the backdrop of tensions over tariffs, with US asking India to cut oil imports from Iran. US President Donald Trump's administration has been putting pressure on allies, including India to reduce oil imports from Iran. The postponement of the much anticipated 2+2 talks also dealt a blow to the Indian government. The US however dismissed claims that the delay would affect ties and said that it would have no bearing on US-India relations. Another bone of contention was New Delhi's decision to acquire S-400 missile defence system from Russia which reportedly ruffled some feathers in the Trump administration. The Modi government has gone all out in its invitations to dignitaries for the Republic Day parade. Before the invitation to ASEAN leaders last year, United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the chief guest in 2017. The 2016 parade meanwhile witnessed the presence of French President François Hollande as the chief guest. Source: News18