PM Modi to hold bilateral talks with US Prez Trump in New York

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump in New York today. Addressing the media, External Affairs Ministry Spokesman, Ravish Kumar said the two leaders are expected to discuss a broad gamut of bilateral relations.

This is the third time Mr Modi will be meeting with Trump during his US visit. After the grand success of Howdy Houston, all eyes are on the Prime Minister’s meeting with US President Donald Trump at UN headquarters, New York. This will be the third time that Prime Minister Modi will be meeting with President Trump over the past three days. 

First, it was Howdy Modi, the mega event in Houston where the world saw Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump endorsing each other. Both the leaders lauded the Indian-American community and aptly saw a new history in the making with the new chemistry. Then at the UN Climate summit in New York, President Trump dropped in just to listen to PM Modi. It would be worthwhile to recall that the two leaders have also met earlier this year at G-7 summit in France and at Eastern Economic Forum in Russia.

The Prime Minister held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, UNGA session in New York. Mr Modi interacted with a number of heads of state, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian President Giuseppe Conte, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez, Niger's President Issoufou Mahamadou, Namibian President Hage Geingob, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte.

Mr Modi discussed strengthening bilateral ties with the Italian president, particularly in the field of trade and investment, as also cooperation in the defence sector.During Modi's meeting with bin Hamad, both leaders reviewed the full range of ties between India and Qatar.

With the Maldivian president,



Mr Modi discussed progress on development partnership and cooperation in climate change. Later in the day, Mr Modi will attend India-Pacific Islands leaders’ meeting.

 

He will gift Gandhi Solar Park to the UN. The 50 kilowatt-hour roof-top solar park has 193 solar panels, each representing a member of the multilateral body.  Prime Minister Modi will also receive the award from Bill Melinda Gates Foundation for Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. In keeping with India's commitments towards preserving the environment and  tackling climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Gandhi Solar Park at UN Headquarters in New York today. 

India has funded One Million Dollar Solar Panel and Green Roof Project on the Roof of UN headquarters. There are 193 panels, each representing a UN member state. It is the first time that solar energy is being produced at UN HQ in New York.

The Solar panels can generate maximum power up 50 KW. India's Permanent Representative to UN, Syed Akbaruddin told that energy generated in the park is equivalent to energy that would have been created through use of 30,000 kilograms of coal. It also has a carbon sequestration of 1000 seedlings which will grow into trees over 10 years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also receive Goalkeepers Global Goals Award for Swachch Bharat Mission by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in New York later in the day today. The award marks a respect and honour to the Prime Minister for providing 500 million people in India safer sanitation.

In a statement, Gates Foundation said, the foundation believes it can have the greatest impact for the world’s poorest. The Gates Foundation’s annual event focusing on global inequality on 24th and 25th of September coincides with the UN General Assembly. Its earlier events have drawn big-name politicians and celebrities in the past of the likes of Barack Obama.