Prime Minister Narendra Modi declined a visit to Washington at the invitation of US President Donald Trump to attend the first anniversary of the BJP’s government in Odisha. During a phone call, PM Modi explained his commitment to the sacred land of Lord Jagannath. PM Modi also launched over Rs 18,600 crore in development projects while in Odisha, emphasizing infrastructure improvements.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he declined an invitation from US President Donald Trump to visit Washington in order to visit Odisha, the sacred land of Lord Jagannath. PM Modi is in Odisha to celebrate the first anniversary function of the BJP’s maiden government in the state. President Trump invited PM Modi during a phone call earlier this week after the US leader left the G-7 meeting mid-way amid rising hostilities between Israel and Iran.
Addressing a massive gathering in Bhubaneswar, PM Modi said: “A couple of days ago, I was in Canada attending the G7 Summit when I received a call from President Trump, who kindly invited me to visit Washington. While I expressed my gratitude for his thoughtful invitation, I explained that I needed to return to the sacred land of Mahaprabhu. With due respect, I graciously declined his offer.”
PM Modi spoke with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday – the first conversation between the two leaders after the pause in Operation Sindoor last month.
During the 35-minute phone call with President Trump, PM Modi set the record straight that Operation Sindoor – launched by India against terror sites in Pakistan – was “paused” following a request from Pakistan and not due to mediation or offer of a trade deal by the US. PM Modi made it clear that countries that support terrorism must face the consequences.
#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: “Just two days ago, I was in Canada for the G7 summit and the US President Trump called me. He said, since you have come to Canada, go via Washington, we will have dinner together and talk. He extended the invitation with great insistence. I told the… pic.twitter.com/MdLsiYnNCQ
— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2025
“PM Modi clarified that no topics related to trade were discussed in connection with Operation Sindoor. He asserted that India has never accepted third-party mediation and will not accept such mediation in the future,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a statement on the PM Modi-President Trump phone call.
President Trump invited PM Modi, who was in Canada to attend the G-7 meeting, to visit the US on his return journey from Canada.
Indian officials had then said that PM Modi said he could not accept the invitation due to a pre-existing schedule. PM Modi invited President Trump to visit India for the Quad Summit, likely later this year.
PM Modi launched development projects worth over Rs 18,600 crore as he participated in the first anniversary function of the BJP’s maiden government in the state. These included 105 development projects unveiled under the “Odisha Vision Document”.
He also felicitated several people, including ‘Lakhpati Didis’ and others.
PM Modi, who visited Odisha for the sixth time since the BJP government was formed in the state in June 2024, launched the projects at a function at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar.