(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –US President Donald Trump has just addressed a massive public rally in India with PM Narendra Modi on his first official visit to the country.
“Namaste,” he began to a thunderous round of applause, and went on to invoke several Indian icons, from history to cricket to Bollywood.
He is speaking at the Motera stadium in Gujarat, Modi’s home state.
Trump’s visit will focus on deepening ties between the world’s two largest democracies.
“India will always hold a very special place in our hearts,” he said.
He also had words of praise for Modi: ” Everybody loves him but I will tell you this, he is very tough. You are not just the pride of Gujarat, you are living proof that with hard work, Indians can accomplish anything they want.”
However, he struggled to pronounce several Indian nouns – from Ahmedabad, the city where he is speaking, to Swami Vivekananda, an Indian philosopher, greatly admired by Modi. He also called the Vedas – ancient Hindu texts – “Vestas”.
He ended his speech by saying, “God bless India, God bless the United States of America – we love you, we love you very much.”
Trump arrived earlier in the day to a grand public reception and road show, with crowds lining his route to the stadium. The road show also featured performers from across the country, showcasing the arts from different Indian states.
(Source: BBC News)
