Donald Trump welcomes Narendra Modi to White House

Trump said, "I am thrilled to welcome my friend Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India back to the White House"

Washington: US President Donald Trump told Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “We missed you, we missed you a lot,” as he met his friend after five years.

As he was welcomed to the White House on Thursday, PM Modi gave him a hug and told him, “It’s great to see you again.” This was PM Modi’s first meeting with Trump after his re-election and they picked up their bonhomie where they had left off.

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Later at a news conference, they referred to their long friendship and recalled their earlier meetings. Trump said, “I am thrilled to welcome my friend Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India back to the White House.” “He is a special man,” he said.

He recalled PM Modi’s hospitality to him and his wife Melania in India in 2020 and said he was happy to reciprocate. The “Namaste Trump” rally hosted by PM Modi in Ahmedabad was “tremendous”, he said.

PM Modi said he was expressing “my heartfelt gratitude to my friend President Trump for the grand welcome and hospitality accorded to me”. Their last meeting as President and Prime Minister was in February 2020 when Trump visited India and was hosted at the mammot “Namaste Trump” rally of more than 129,000 people in Ahmedabad.

Trump welcomed PM Modi at the West Wing lobby in the White House. US President introduced PM Modi to other officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared a picture of PM Modi and Trump on X. While sharing the picture on X, Scavino said, “Behind Scenes in the West Wing lobby — @POTUS Trump welcomes Prime Minister @NarendraModi of India to the @WhiteHouse.”

Here is Scavino ‘s post.

Behind the Scenes in the West Wing of the @WhiteHouse as @POTUS @realDonaldTrump welcomes the Prime Minister of India, @NarendraModi… pic.twitter.com/3QsuluQnM1

— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) February 13, 2025

The Indian delegation including External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, and India’s Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra arrived at the White House soon after PM Modi’s arrival.

Ahead of PM Modi’s arrival, Indian flags were being put up at the White House. Meeting Donald Trump at the White House, PM Modi told the US President that he was delighted to see him back for a second term. He also expressed confidence that the two countries will continue to advance India-US strategic partnership with the ”same bond, trust and excitement”.