Modi invites US Vice President Mike Pence to Delhi; says 'India-Ana'

Singapore, Nov 14: There was a light moment during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence in Singapore on Wednesday when he riffed on the meaning of 'Indiana' - the American leader's home state.

Through his translator, Modi said that when he met Pence in the US in 2017 he told him that "Indiana" (INDIA-Ana) in Hindi, meaning "To come to India." Modi then repeated his invitation to Pence to visit India.

Pence laughed appreciatively. "Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister," Pence said. "I expect I will 'Indiana'." The US vice president is likely to visit India in 2019.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump had turned down India's invitation to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.

Modi and Pence held talks on a wide range of bilateral and global issues of mutual interests including defence and trade cooperation, ways to counter terrorism and the need for maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

PTI