Not due to S-400 deal, but due to 'scheduling issue': US envoy on Trump declining R-Day invite

New Delhi, Nov 1: Putting speculations to rest that President Donald Trump may have rejected India's invite for Republic Day parade due to the S-400 missile deal, US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster on Thursday said it was "purely a scheduling issue."

US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster

Trump has declined India's invitation to be the chief guest at the parade citing pressing engagements, including his State of The Union (SOTU) address, around the time India will celebrate its Republic Day on January 26.

Donald Trump

Asked if Trump declining India's invitation had something to do with India signing a deal with Russia on S-400 missile defence systems, Juster, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, said, "No, that is a purely scheduling issue."

Republic Day parade

Earlier this week, a White House spokesperson, when asked about Trump's decision, had said, "President Trump was honoured by Prime Minister Modi's invitation to him to be the chief guest of India's Republic Day on January 26, 2019, but is unable to participate due to scheduling constraints."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Trump for a visit to India during their talks in Washington in June, 2017. Every year, India invites world leaders to attend its Republic Day celebrations. In 2015, the then US president Barack Obama had attended it as the chief guest, which was his second visit to India as the American president.

On whether India will get a waiver from the US on Chabahar amid sanctions on Iran, Juster said, "These are matters that our two governments are discussing and we are working together on that."

OneIndia News with PTI inputs