NE NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON/GANDHINAGAR, FEB 22
The US President Donald Trump will arrive in India, in Ahmedabad, in Gujarat, on Monday, where he will take part in the ‘Namaste Trump” event at Sardar Patel Stadium with Prime Minister Modi, a senior administration official of the White House said on Friday.
With the official announcement of Trump’s itinerary, now it is clear that Trump will not visit Sabarmati Ashram.
“We are yet to receive any confirmation about the Presidents’ plans regarding the Gandhi Ashram visit, but 99 per cent, it is scrapped,” said a Gujarat government official.
The Trumps were expected to spend about half-an-hour at the Ashram. A new parking space was being created at the place. A platform was being built on the rear side of the Ashram so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could show the entire Sabarmati riverfront to the visiting dignitaries from one place. A special room was also being prepared at the Ashram, where the dignitaries would be spending some time. Sources said all that work has been halted for now.
The President and the First Lady will then go with Prime Minister Modi to visit the Taj, in Agra.
They will then fly to New Delhi and rest overnight in New Delhi, and have a full programme on Tuesday. This will include ceremonial events, bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister, a business event with Indian investors, with a special focus on companies that are investing in manufacturing in the US.
The official added that the President will have a meet-and-greet with embassy staff and a meeting with the President of India Ram Nath Kovind. And to cap it off, there will be a state dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan, on Tuesday evening.
12-member official delegation to accompany Trump
With the President and the First Lady, there will be a 12-person official delegation, said a senior administration official of the White House, on Friday. That will include:
Ambassador Ken Juster, the United States Ambassador to India
Secretary Wilbur Ross, of Commerce Department
Secretary Dan Brouillette, of the Energy Department
Mick Mulvaney, Assistant to the President and Acting Chief of Staff
National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien
Ivanka Trump, Assistant to the President and Advisor to the President
Jared Kushner, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the President
Stephen Miller, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Policy
Dan Scavino, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Digital Strategy
Lindsay Reynolds, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady
Robert Blair, Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Telecommunication Policy and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff
And the final member of the official delegation is Stephanie Grisham, Assistant to the President and Press Secretary and Director of Communications for the President and First Lady, the official added.
Additional bilateral meeting participants
Adam Boehler, Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
Ajit Pai, Chairman of the FCC
Lisa Curtis, Deputy Assistant to the President for South and Central Asian Affairs
Kash Patel, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counter-terrorism
And finally, Mike Passey, Director for India, National Security Council
