Modi to visit France, US; meet Trump on February 12

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day working visit to the US from February 12 during which he will meet President Donald Trump, the external affairs ministry announced on Friday.

Addressing a press conference, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Modi's visit will give further impetus and direction to India-US bilateral relationship.

Prior to his US visit, Modi will be in France from February 10-12 to co-chair the AI Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron.

He will also visit Cadarache, the site of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor of which India is a partner, Misri said.

"This will be the first visit of Prime Minister Modi to the United States since the inauguration of the second presidential term of US President Donald Trump," he said.

"The fact that the prime minister has been invited to visit the US within barely three weeks of the new administration taking office shows the importance of the India-US partnership and is also reflective of the bipartisan support this partnership enjoys in the US," the foreign secretary said.

During his visit to France from February 10-12, Modi and Macron will also address the India-France CEOs forum.

The prime minister and Macron will travel to Marseille where they will inaugurate the Consulate General of India.

The leaders will also visit the war cemetery and pay tribute to the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in World War 1.

Modi and Macron will visit Cadarache, the site of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

Misri said there has been a very close rapport between Trump and Modi, dating back to the US leader's first term.

"There is a clear convergence of interests between the two countries in several areas, including trade, investment, technology, defense cooperation, counterterrorism, Indo-Pacific security, and people-to-people relations," he said.

"The 5.4 million-strong Indian community in the US and the more than 350,000 Indian students pursuing higher education in American universities further strengthen this bond," he said.

"The prime minister's visit to the United States will provide further direction and momentum to this important partnership. We expect a joint statement to be adopted at the end of the visit, which will be shared in due course," the foreign secretary said.