President Obama makes farewell call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi

WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — With less than 24 hours remaining in his presidency, Barack Obama on Wednesday made his farewell call to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, White House tradition calls for the president to do as such with various world leaders he has worked closely with during his presidency.

Obama and Modi had developed what has been globally pegged as a good working relationship. The speak often, and met regularly — more than seven times, at last count.

During the call, Obama and Modi reviewed “joint efforts of cooperation including defense, civil nuclear energy, and enhanced people-to-people ties,” according to a statement from the White House. The president spoke about his experience as the chief guest of India’s 2015 Republic Day celebrations, and extended his congratulations ahead of the upcoming 68th edition of the celebration of India’s independence.

“Both leaders discussed the progress they have made on shared economic and security priorities, including recognition of India as a Major Defense Partner of the United States and addressing the global challenge of climate change,” the statement said.

The two first met officially in 2014 at the White House. Obama soon returned the favor, meeting the Indian prime minister in his home state of Gujarat. The relationship between Obama and Modi became so strong, the two could regularly be heard addressing each other on a first-name basis, routine western practice but extremely rare for an Indian leader.

Obama was also the first to call Modi to congratulate him on his 2014 prime minister election victory, and immediately invited him to visit the White House. This ended weeks of speculation of how Modi might travel to the U.S., as he’d been denied an entry visa in 2005. Before their September 2014 meeting, the two leaders co-authored an op-ed in The Washington Post laying out their joint vision for the relationship. It was titled, “Chalen Saath Saath: Forward, we go together.”