New Delhi: Ahead of his travel to New Delhi and Ahmedabad later this month, US President Donald Trump jokingly told reporters at the White House that now he may not “feel so good” about the size of the crowd he addresses in the US which is usually between 40,000 and 50,000.
“When we have 50,000 people, I’m not going to feel so good… we’ll have five to seven million people just from the airport to the new stadium. And you know it is the largest stadium in the world. (They are) building it now. It’s almost complete and it’s the largest in the world,” Trump said, referring to his conversation with Modi.
The US president, who is likely to be accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump from 24 to 25 February, will be in Delhi and Gujarat.
PM Modi and President Trump are expected to address a public rally at the newly-constructed Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“And you know it’s the largest stadium in the world. He (Modi) is building it now. It is almost complete and it is the largest in the world,” Trump said.
Rs 50 crore spent to resurface roads in Ahmedabad
In Ahmedabad, preparations are on in full-swing to welcome the president. Over Rs 50 crore is likely to be spent to resurface roads and beautify convoy route with flower pots. Another Rs 1 crore is also being spent on decorative lighting along the route that Trump is expected to take.
Responding to a question about the possibility of a trade deal between India and the US, the president said: “They (India) want to do something and we’ll see… if we can make the right deal, (we) will do it.”
The trade deal is reportedly seen as a dominant motive behind this trip. India is seeking to restore its benefits under the US trade regime called the Generalised System of Preferences.
During his interaction with reporters at the White House, Trump also spoke about his friendship with Modi: “He is a friend of mine. He is a great gentleman and I look forward to going to India. So, we’ll be going at the end of the month.”
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