PM Narendra Modi to meet Donald Trump on the sidelines of G-20 summit in Japan

New Delhi: US president Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting at the G-20 summit on June 28 and 29 in Japan's Osaka. Trump earlier telephoned Modi to congratulate him on the massive victory recorded on May 23. "The leaders look forward to seeing one another at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, where the US, India, and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to pursue their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House said in a statement. "I just spoke to Prime Minister Modi and I gave him my warmest regards and congratulations. I just conveyed congratulations on behalf of our country, myself and everybody. He had a great election win. He is a friend of mine. We have a very good relationship with India," Trump said at the South Lawn of White House before boarding Marine One for his trip to Japan. "He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him!" Trump later said. Modi too thanked Trump and US Vice President Mike Pence for their congratulatory messages. The G-20 summit — held annually by the 20 members of the forum — assumes importance on the backdrop of an ongoing dispute in the South China Sea and other regional and global issues. While China has been claiming ownership of islands in the region, the US and its allies have been pressing for freedom of navigation. India too has been an advocate of freedom of navigation. Prior to the G-20 Summit, Modi will be meeting Chinese president Xi Jinping in Bishkek on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meet on June 14-15. Source: Times Now