Donald Trump Tells Narendra Modi He Considers India A 'True Friend'

Donald Trump spoke with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a call Tuesday, one of the few world leaders the new US President has spoken to since taking office on Friday.According to a White House statement, Trump emphasized that Washington considers India a "true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world." 

The new US leader also said he was looking forward to welcoming Modi in the US later this year. Modi's a frequent visitor to the US; he's made four official visits since he assumed office in 2014. Last June marked theseventh time he had met former President Barack Obama.

On the call, Trump and Modi were said to have discussed opportunities to strengthen their partnership on the economy and defense, though no details were given.

They also discussed security in south and central Asia, a region that encompasses Pakistan and Afghanistan, and resolved to "stand shoulder to shoulder in the global fight against terrorism."Modi tweeted that he had a "warm conversation" with the President and said the pair had "agreed to work closely in the coming days to further strengthen our bilateral ties."

He added that he had invited Trump to visit India.

Tweeting from his personal account, Modi said his conversation with Trump had been "warm", and that they would work closely in the coming days to further strengthen bilateral ties. He also invited Trump to visit India. The U.S.-India relationship has flourished of late and New Delhi is hopeful that this will continue under Trump, who courted the votes of the Indian diaspora in his presidential run.

Trump's pledge to ban immigration by Muslims from countries he says harbor Islamic militants has also played well among Modi's Hindu-nationalist base, which is hostile to Pakistan.

There are concerns, though, that Trump may pull back the U.S. security umbrella from the region, exposing India to a rising China. His tough line on immigration and "America First" jobs policy could make it tougher for India's information technology sector to send staff to the U.S. to do project work.

President Obama once said India and the United States would form the "defining partnership" of the 21st century.

Trade between the two countries has grown five-fold in the last decade to more than $100 billion dollars. However, there could be one sticking point on the horizon. President Trump has said he may clamp down on highly skilled H-1B visas, which Indian companies rely heavily on.

They allow foreign workers to fill skill gaps in the US workforce. Critics argue the system is being exploited to recruit cheaper foreign workers.

There was no mention of the issue in the White Houses's readout of the call.