Looking forward to working closely together, says PM Modi to Joe Biden

AS  POTUS Donald Trump remains defiant to concede defeat in the  November 3 presidential election alleging “massive fraud”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to President-elect Joe Biden and reiterated commitment to India-US partnership and cooperation in varied spheres. He spoke to Joe Biden on phone. Earlier, PM Modi had tweeted congratulating both Joe Biden and Vice President Kamla Harris, daughter of an Indian lady from Tamil Nadu who had emigrated to the United States of America, married and settled there. Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered the Pentagon to pull 2,500 US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq by mid-January, acting Defence Secretary Christopher Miller announced Tuesday. The Defence Department will cut the number of troops in Afghanistan from 4,500 to 2,500 and the number of forces in Iraq from 3,000 to 2,500 by January 15, days before Trump is set to leave the office, The Hill reported. “I am formally announcing that we will implement President Trump’s orders to continue our repositioning of forces from Afghanistan and Iraq”, Miller told reporters at the Pentagon. Miller also said that Trump’s decision is based on continuous engagement with his national security cabinet for the past several months, including ongoing discussions with me and my colleagues across the United States government. ANI reported quoting him adding that he spoke with “key leaders in Congress as well as our allies and partners abroad to update them on these plans earlier in the day”. pic courtesy: The Print. edited by PK Chakravarty