Donald Trump is expected to discuss concerns about the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens at his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior US administration officials told reporters on Friday at a background briefing on the President’s upcoming visit.

“I think President Trump will talk about our shared tradition of democracy and religious freedom both in his public remarks and then certainly in private. He will raise these issues, particularly the religious freedom issue, which is extremely important to this administration...,” said an official, according to a readout, asked if Trump was planning to say something to Modi about the CAA and the NRC.

“We are concerned with some of the issues that you have raised. And I think that the President will talk about these issues in his meetings with Prime Minister Modi and note that the world is looking to India to continue to uphold its democratic traditions, respect for religious minorities. Of course, it’s in the Indian Constitution — religious freedom, respect for religious minorities, and equal treatment of all religions in India.”

Even before this question had been asked, senior administration officials had on their own flagged the issue of religious liberty. “Prime Minister Modi, in his first speech after winning the election last year, talked about how he would prioritise being inclusive of India’s religious minorities. And, certainly, the world looks to India to maintain religious liberty and equal treatment for all under the rule of law,” they said.

Asked if Trump would offer to mediate on Kashmir again, the response was: “I think what you’ll hear from the President is very much encouraging a reduction in tensions between India and Pakistan, encouraging the two countries to engage in bilateral dialogue with each other to resolve their differences.

Life on two sides of the wall built in Ahmedabad for the visit of US President Donald Trump. (PTI picture)

“We continue to believe a core foundation of any successful dialogue between the two is based on continued momentum in Pakistan’s efforts to crack down on terrorists and extremists on its territory. So we continue to look for that. But I think the President will urge both countries to seek to maintain peace and stability along the Line of

Control and refrain from actions or statements that could increase tensions in the region.”

On Thursday, while responding to a question on whether India was working with the Americans to ensure that Trump does not make any adverse remark from Indian soil on these contentious issues, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said: “On all these issues our position is well known to the US side. Time and again we have communicated with them — the state department, the White House and the Congress — about our sensitivities. Our position is well known and we hope that things will go on smoothly during the visit. And, we don’t see any such problem.”

Sources have maintained that though Trump has repeated his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, it is invariably accompanied with the caveat that the US would step in only if both sides want it to. “There has been no serious push to consider it from the US side beyond his statements,” said a source.

According to the US administration officials, the focus of the visit would be on building bilateral economic and energy ties. The US is particularly interested in tapping into India’s energy demands and a memorandum of understanding is likely to be signed between the oil major Exxon and Indian Oil for LNG pipeline infrastructure during Trump’s two-day visit from Monday.

Oil import from the US has gone up from zero to nearly $7 billion in a couple of years as New Delhi looks to end its dependence on the Gulf to meet its needs, making the energy sector a key area of collaboration. An agreement on homeland security is also likely to be inked to set up a counter-terrorism training centre.

Life on two sides of the wall built in Ahmedabad for the visit of US President Donald Trump. (PTI picture)

BEHIND THE WALL, IN CASE TRUMP IS CURIOUS

Life on two sides of the wall built in Ahmedabad for the visit of US President Donald Trump.

An official had cited security reasons for building the seven-foot-high wall but the contractor had told Reuters that the government did not want the slum to be seen when Trump passes by on the ride from Ahmedabad’s airport on Monday. Inset picture shows residents collecting water in the slum on Saturday.