Hotline Between PMO and White House Likely to Continue Under Trump

India is the fourth country after Russia, Britain and China with which the US has a hotline.

Narendra Modi and Donald Trump (Photo: The Quint)

The hotline established in 2015 between Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue to exist after the outgoing United States President hands over the baton to his successor Donald Trump on 20 January, a presidential aide has suggested.

I’d be surprised if it was discontinued. Typically, these kinds of arrangements are intended to persist beyond just one presidential term.

Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary

The decision to establish the hotline was finalised during Obama's historic visit to India in 2015 to attend the Republic Day parade on 26 January as its chief guest.

Modi had then said the effort was a part of their exercise to give the critical partnership between two countries “a new thrust and sustained attention”.

While the two leaders have frequently interacted over the hotline, only a few of those conversations have appeared in public domain.

At least one of those conversations lasted for more than an hour, according to the US Ambassador to India.

This is India’s first hotline at the head of state level. India is only the fourth country after Russia, Britain and China with which the US has a hotline.

In 2004, India and Pakistan agreed to establish hotlines at the level of foreign secretaries, and in 2010 New Delhi and Beijing announced plans to establish a hotline at the foreign ministry level.