New York: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is carrying a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for US President Donald Trump, sources said on Monday.
Jaishankar is representing PM Modi as his special envoy at President Trump's inaugural function on Monday, the sources said. Trump is taking charge as the 47th President of the US.
The external affairs minister's presence at the presidential inauguration is in line with India's general practice of sending special envoys to attend the swearing-in ceremony of heads of state and government, the sources said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the swearing-in ceremony of the president of Nigeria in May 2023 while then Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Maldivian president in November 2023, the sources said citing past precedents.
Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian president in July last year and MoS for external affairs Pabitra Margherita attended the oath-taking ceremony of the president of Indonesia and president of Mexico in October 2024, the sources said.
In June 2022, the then MoS for external affairs Raj Kumar Ranjan Singh attended the swearing-in ceremony of the president of the Philippines, they added.
Jaishankar said on Monday that he was "privileged" to represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of Donald Trump as the US president.
"Privileged to represent India as External Affairs Minister and Special Envoy of PM at the Swearing-In Ceremony of the 47th President of the United States of America today in Washington DC," he said in a post on X. "Attended the Inauguration Day Prayer Service at St John’s Church this morning," he said.
