Trump visits India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi threw a “Namaste Trump” event to welcome the U.S. president to the country on Monday. Indians filled a 110,000-seat stadium to greet President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the beginning of their two-day visit. It mirrored the “Howdy Modi” event Trump held in September for Modi’s visit to Houston. The Trumps went to see the Taj Mahal afterward.

How are U.S.-India relations? On Monday, Trump announced the United States will sell $3 billion worth of military helicopters and other equipment to India. On Tuesday, Trump and Modi are expected to discuss a trade deal, as well as security and terrorism concerns.

At Monday’s event, Trump praised Indian culture, referencing famous Bollywood films. He defended controversial immigration controls that Modi’s party has championed while encouraging the country to maintain religious and ethnic diversity: “Your nation has always been admired around the Earth as the place where millions upon millions of Hindus and Muslims and Sikhs and Jains worship side by side in harmony.”

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report on the protests against Modi’s Hindu nationalist ruling party.