PM Narendra Modi speaks with Donald Trump, raises concern over anti-India violence in region

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Monday had a telephonic conversation for 30 minutes on regional and bilateral issues. Speaking on the regional situation, the Prime Minister stated that "extreme rhetoric and incitement to anti-India violence by certain leaders in the region was not conducive to peace". He also highlighted the importance of creating an environment free from terror and violence and eschewing cross-border terrorism without exception.

The development comes amid Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly raking up the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 by India which led to the scrapping of the special status to the erstwhile state.

On August 14, Khan had claimed that BJP-led Narendra Modi government move to scrap Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was a strategic blunder. An exasperated Khan had churned out baseless theories regarding Jammu and Kashmir and the now-defunct provision. He had claimed that the BJP had conducted the biggest betrayal on the people of the newly formed Union Territory (UT), adding that once the people of Kashmir are "released from curfew imposed...all forms of atrocities will erupt."

Speaking to Trump, PM Modi also recalled his meeting with the US President in Osaka, Japan, on the sidelines of G-20 summit in June 2019. Referring to their bilateral discussions in Osaka, the PM expressed the hope that the Indian Commerce Minister and the US Trade Representative would meet at an early date to discuss bilateral trade prospects for mutual benefit.

The Prime Minister reiterated India’s commitment to cooperate with anyone who followed this path, in fighting poverty, illiteracy and disease. 

Recalling that today marked the one hundred years of the Afghanistan independence, the PM reiterated India’s longstanding and unwavering commitment to work for "united, secure, democratic and truly independent Afghanistan".