Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has termed India as a “key strategic ally.” He also said that if voted to power India and the US would become “best friends” and have a “phenomenal future” together. “We are going to have a phenomenal future together,” Trump said at an event by the Republican Hindu Coalition .
“Under a Trump Administration, we are going to become even better friends, in fact I would take the term better out and we would be best friends,” Trump said to the cheering crowd as he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking India on a fast track growth with a series of economic reforms and reforming the bureaucracy, which he said is required in the US too.
“I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi,” he said, adding that the Indian leader is very energetic.
“I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big front of India. If elected, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House,” Trump said. While speaking about Mumbai attacks, he said, “Mumbai, a city, I love. The attack on India was absolutely outrageous” and assured some 5,000 Indian-Americans at the event that if he becomes the president, the US would “share soldier to soldier together” in the fight against terrorism.
“We appreciate the great friend India has been to the US in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism,” he said as he slammed his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for not using this word.
Trump said India had seen brutality of terrorism, including the Mumbai attacks. “India is key and a key strategic ally,” he said, adding that he looks forward to deepening and strengthening military cooperation with India.
“We are going to have great relation with China and Mexico, but we are going to have a great relationship with India,” Trump said even as he lashed out at the business practices of China, particularly stealing intellectual property.
