Washington:

India needs to buy more arms and ammunition from the US, stressed President Donald Trump during his phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night. The Republican leader who took office just a week ago also spoke about moving towards a “fair bilateral trade”.

“The President emphasized the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship,” the White House said.

Read: PM Modi Likely To Visit White House In February: Donald Trump

Sharing more details about the “productive” call, it said that the two leaders discussed deepening cooperation and regional issues, which included the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and Europe. “Both leaders emphasized their commitment to advance the US-India strategic partnership and the Indo-Pacific Quad partnership, with India hosting Quad Leaders for the first time later this year,” the statement added.

Europe and the Middle East have been the centres of two latest conflicts involving Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas, while Indo-Pacific remains crucial to India-US ties amid growing Chinese interference.

The two leaders also spoke about PM Modi’s plans to visit the US, the White House said. The President later told reporters aboard Air Force One that PM Modi is likely to visit the White House next month.

Read: ‘India Will Do The Right Thing’: Trump On Migrants Row After Call With PM Modi

“I had a long talk with him this morning (Monday). He is going to be coming to the White House, over next month, probably February. We have a very good relationship with India,” said Mr Trump.

Stating he also discussed the issue of migrants with PM Modi, the President said India will do “what is right” when it comes to taking back immigrants who came to the US illegally. Trump has cracked down on illegal immigrants and deported hundreds since assuming office a week ago.

The call between the two leaders follows reports suggesting that the Indian side has been working on an early meeting between the two leaders, who enjoyed warm relations in Trump’s first term.

Before Narendra Modi assumed office of India’s Prime Minister in 2014, there was instability due to frequent changes in the leadership, former US President Donald Trump has said in an podcast called ‘Flagrant’ with comedians Andrew Schultz and Akash Singh.

The former US President lavished high praise on PM Modi and described him the nicest human being who can be tough when required.

“Before him they were replacing him (Indian PMs) every year, it was very unstable. He came along, he’s great, he’s a friend of mine. On the outside he looks like he’s your father he’s the nicest…,” said Trump, who is seeking re-election as US President.

Former American President Donald Trump, in the Flagrant podcast, describes Prime Minister Modi as the nicest human being but also a total killer.

He added that Modi took him by surprise with his threat of aggressive retaliation against Pakistan when he said we would handle them;… pic.twitter.com/8oOH9ELvx3

— BJP (@BJP4India) October 9, 2024

Trump also talked about the success of ‘Howdy Modi’ in Houston, Texas, in 2019 when he was the US President.

“They filled up the stadium, it was beautiful like 80,000 people, it was going crazy and we’re walking around today….we were walking in the middle, waving to everybody,” he said.

Trump also spoke about how PM Modi told him that India can deal with Islamabad after being offered US support.

“He is nicest human being but we had couple of occasions where somebody was threatening India. I said let me help, I am very good with those people (Trump imitating PM Modi) ‘I will do it, I will do , I will do anything necessary. We have defeated them for 100s of years…,” Trump said without naming Pakistan.

Trump also said he has very good relationship with PM Modi.

Trump spoke about his relationship with PM Modi around the 37-minute mark of 88 minute long interview.

‘Howdy Modi’ was an Indian community event in Houston, Texas in 2019. The event at NRG Stadium saw a huge crowd and showcased the relationship between the two countries. PM Modi and Trump addressed the gathering.

Trump has praised PM Modi earlier too and has described him a “fantastic man”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)