US President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at a US Independence Day event in India, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express his support and friendship. Trump said India can count on him 100% and that the two nations have never been closer.
Trump also praised Modi, calling him a great friend and a big fan, and referred to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the 'greatest secretary of state in the history of the US'. Rubio was in attendance along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who delivered a speech on the significance of the US declaration of independence and its resonance in India.
Jaishankar noted that the shared traits of being political democracies, market economies, and open societies have strengthened the India-US relationship, which has grown with deeper economic and technology ties. He also highlighted the role of the Indian diaspora in the US in building political understanding between the two countries.
The event featured a performance by AR Rahman and the American band Village People, who performed their hits including 'YMCA'.
