New Delhi: Modi is more enthusiastic about improving relations with China, Russia and Japan than building relations with the US.
According to top sources, he is not in a hurry to visit the US and does not want the trip to be put on the top of his priority list. Modi has still not made up his mind on accepting US invite for an official visit to Washington.
Modi is likely to visit the US in September to address the UN General Assembly in New York. His first travel abroad after taking charge as PM would be in July where he will be travelling to Brazil to participate in the BRICS Summit.
Meanwhile, Narendra Modi is planning to turn his swearing-in into a mini SAARC summit, inviting heads of state of neighbouring countries. This would include Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Modi reportedly conveyed this to President Pranab Mukherjee when he met him on Tuesday.
The new Prime Minister would be sending a strong message of friendship to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan that constitute the SAARC nations.
BJP has indicated that Modi will work to a re-crafted foreign policy. He repeatedly tore into the Congress-led UPA government’s foreign policy in his election speeches as “stagnated”, “weak” and “a mockery.”Â
BJP chief Rajnath Singh said around 3000 people would be invited for Modi’s oath-taking, which will be held in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Only two other prime ministers – Chandra Shekhar and Atal Bihari Vajpayee – have been sworn in in the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt.Â
Others have taken oath in the historic Durbar Hall of the palace, which can only accommodate 500 people. Â
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