India avoids confirming Donald Trump’s claim that PM Modi plans to meet with him

New Delhi has declined to confirm Donald Trump’s claim that Narendra Modi will meet with him when the Indian prime minister spends three days in the US starting this weekend.

“There are many meetings with the prime minister right now which we are trying to fix,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday, without ruling out a one-on-one discussion.

“I will not be able to tell you about any specific meeting, whether the meeting has been fixed or not,” he added, noting that Modi would have “engagement with a host of business and industry leaders, amongst others”.

During a rally in Michigan on Tuesday, Trump – the former US president who is running again for the office – criticised India as “a very big abuser” in trade but described Modi as a “fantastic man”.

“He happens to be coming to meet me next week,” Trump said.