Page 2 - AT

A2 UP FRONT
Monday 23 SepteMber 2019

Continued from Front last month in France, and
The president also dis- Trump seemed to explain
cussed border security, an his decision to attend by
important campaign issue saying "I love India."
for Texas, which shares a Earlier this year, Modi won
border with Mexico. the biggest reelection In-
"We are taking unprec- dia has seen in years and
edented action to secure his support for Trump could
our southern border and help the president at the
stop illegal immigration," polls next year. The two are
Trump said. to meet Tuesday on the
About 50,000 Indian Ameri- sidelines of the annual U.N.
cans attended the "How- General Assembly.
dy Modi!" rally in Houston, Trump is also scheduled to
where the crowd chanted meet this week with Paki-
"Modi! Modi! Modi!" as he stani leader Imran Khan,
took the stage to intro- who recently solicited the
duce Trump as "my friend, president's help mediating
a friend of India, a great the Pakistan-India conflict
American president." over Kashmir. India's gov-
Modi even used Trump's ernment has stripped the
political slogan to say the disputed Himalayan region Pakistan children dress up like injured Kashmiri children and hold a portrait of U.S. President Don-
president had a strong re- of its semi-autonomy and ald Trump during a demonstration organized by International Human Right Movement to express
solve to "make America launched a security crack- solidarity with Indian Kashmiris, in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019.
great again." down last month. Associated Press
"When I met him for the Trump said U.S.-India bonds
first time, he said to me 'In- are expanding despite ten- an announcement can be a nearby U.S. Coast Guard the one-time tropical storm
dia has a true friend in the sions over India's trade sur- made while he and Trump station. slowly churned across the
White House,'" Modi said. plus with the U.S. In June, participate in the U.N. Hundreds of homes and Gulf region, dumping more
"Mr. President, this morning the U.S. canceled special gathering. other buildings across a re- than 40 inches (102 centi-
in Houston, you can hear trade privileges that had Modi said that while Trump gion extending eastward meters) of rain in some ar-
the heartbeat of this great allowed India to export has called himself a "tough from Houston and across eas.
partnership in this celebra- certain goods with lower negotiator," he has learned the Louisiana border, were Authorities blame the storm
tion of the world's two larg- tariffs. India responded by a few things from Trump damaged by Imelda, as for at least five deaths.q
est democracies." slapping tariffs on more about the art of making
The event had the feel of than two dozen U.S. goods. deals. After the speeches,
one of Trump's campaign The U.S. and India are dis- Modi asked Trump to walk
rallies, complete with a cussing ways to negoti- hand-in-hand around the
packed venue and a roar- ate at least a partial trade perimeter of the stadium
ing crowd, and Trump deal, which would let the floor, looking up to the
treated it that way at times. president score a victory as stands of cheering fans.
He ticked off his accom- he campaigns for re-elec- After the Houston event,
plishments in office, high- tion in November 2020. A Trump flew to Ohio, a key
lighted a drop in the unem- partial deal could include state for him in the 2020
ployment rate among Indi- Washington reinstating In- presidential race. He and
an Americans and extolled dia's special tariff status Australian Prime Minister
their contributions to the in exchange for conces- Scott Morrison are to mark
U.S. as he pitched for their sions related to access to the opening of an Aus-
vote in a traditionally Re- Indian markets, possibly in tralian-owned Pratt Indus-
publican state that Demo- dairy and medical devices. tries plant in Wapakoneta.
crats have visions of pulling Other issues are thwarting Trump hosted Morrison and
into their column next year. efforts to sign a larger trade his wife, Jenny, on a state
Trump said Modi invited deal. visit last week.
him to the rally - one of In an address in Hindi to In Texas, Trump was briefed
the largest U.S. gatherings "my family," Modi briefly on recent storm flooding in
of the Indian diaspora in mentioned the trade talks the southeastern part of the
history - when they met and expressed hope that state when he stopped at