US Invite Declined by PM Modi to Prioritise Visit to Odisha’s Jagannath Temple
| 2025-06-21
US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned down a US invitation from President Trump, citing his commitment to visit Lord Jagannath’s abode in Odisha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declined an invitation from US President Donald Trump to visit Washington, choosing instead to honour a planned visit to Odisha, India, in reverence to the deity Lord Jagannath.
Speaking at a public gathering in Bhubaneswar on Friday, Prime Minister Modi said he had received a personal call from US President Donald Trump during his return from the G7 summit in Canada. President Trump had reportedly invited him to stop over in Washington for a meeting and dinner. However, the Indian Prime Minister said he chose to continue to India to visit the eastern state of Odisha, citing spiritual and cultural commitments.
‘A Call from the US President’
“Just two days ago, I was in Canada for the G7 summit, and President Trump called me. He said, since you’re in Canada, stop by Washington—we will meet, have dinner, and talk. He insisted with great warmth. But I said to him, thank you for the invitation. It is more important for me to go to the land of Mahaprabhu,” Modi said, referring to Lord Jagannath, a revered Hindu deity.
The Prime Minister made these remarks at an event marking the first anniversary of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) government in Odisha. He framed the decision as a gesture of respect toward the cultural and religious sentiments of the region.
Phone Call Replaces Sidelines Meeting
According to India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the leaders had originally planned to meet in person at the G7 summit in Canada. However, President Trump had to return to the United States earlier than scheduled. A telephone call between the two leaders took place instead, lasting over thirty minutes.
During the call, Prime Minister Modi briefed President Trump on India’s recent counter-terrorism measures, particularly Operation Sindoor, a military response to a deadly terror attack in the Kashmir Valley in April.
India Rejects US Mediation Claims
Foreign Secretary Misri clarified that the issue of US mediation in the conflict between India and Pakistan was not part of the discussions. “At no time, at any level, were matters like the India-US trade deal or US mediation discussed,” he said, adding that India continues to reject any form of third-party intervention in its bilateral matters with Pakistan.
“Prime Minister Modi made it absolutely clear that India has never accepted mediation, does not accept it, and will never accept it,” Misri said. He added that the message was conveyed to President Trump unequivocally and was well understood.
Terrorism, Operation Sindoor and Ceasefire Dynamics
The call also covered the military escalation that followed the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, in which 26 civilians lost their lives. India launched Operation Sindoor on the night of 6–7 May, targeting nine alleged terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The campaign reportedly led to retaliatory attacks including drone strikes and cross-border shelling.
By 10 May, a cessation of hostilities was announced. President Trump credited the US with mediating the ceasefire, a claim rejected by India. Indian officials stated that any halt in operations came through direct military communication between Indian and Pakistani forces, and not through international negotiation.
“India acted decisively and proportionately, targeting only terrorist infrastructure,” said Misri. He added that India had warned the United States of its intent to respond firmly if attacked again.
Comments on Pakistan’s Absence from Diplomatic Engagement
In a separate development, Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh commented on the absence of Pakistan’s Prime Minister from any engagements with President Trump during the G7 summit. “It’s a very strange thing. It must be an embarrassment to any country when the military chief is invited, but the prime minister is not,” Singh said in an interview with ANI.
The remark comes amid ongoing questions about the civil-military balance in Pakistan and its role in regional security.
Cultural Commitments Take Precedence
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Odisha coincided with a broader public outreach campaign by the BJP in the state. Odisha is home to the sacred Jagannath Temple in Puri, an important pilgrimage site for Hindus.
By choosing religious duty over diplomatic opportunity, Prime Minister Modi aimed to reinforce his connection with cultural and spiritual constituencies in India. The public explanation for declining President Trump’s invitation adds a symbolic layer to his domestic political messaging.
Context: India-US Relations Amid Regional Tensions
India and the United States have strengthened defence and economic ties in recent years, particularly through forums like the Quad, which also includes Japan and Australia. Despite recent friction over trade and technology policies, both countries have maintained consistent engagement on security issues.
Prime Minister Modi has extended an invitation to President Trump to visit India later in the year for a planned Quad summit, though the schedule has not yet been confirmed.
While New Delhi’s message remains clear on rejecting mediation, the incident underscores the ongoing sensitivity in India-Pakistan relations, especially when third-party narratives emerge in times of military escalation.
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