WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has given a clear indication that India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are very important to them. The first bilateral talks held by the United States after Trump assumed office were with India. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton had discussions with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. Jaishankar arrived in the U.S. to attend Trump's inauguration ceremony after receiving a special invitation. The Indian Ambassador to the U.S. also participated in the talks.

Normally, when a new U.S. administration comes to power, the first bilateral talks are conducted with representatives from neighboring countries like Canada or Mexico, or with NATO allies. However, this time, the Trump administration broke this tradition by engaging in talks with the Indian Foreign Minister. This is seen as a sign that the U.S. values its relationship with India highly.

The primary topic of discussion during the talks was cooperation and partnership between India and the U.S., according to reports. Jaishankar shared details about the discussions with the media. Both countries exchanged views on regional and global issues during the talks. Jaishankar also provided information about the meeting of the Quad foreign ministers (India, Australia, U.S., Japan) held on the sidelines of Trump's inauguration.

During his first term as President, Trump maintained a close relationship with both India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is being reported by national media that this pattern is expected to continue based on the current developments.