Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday revealed that he declined an invitation from former US President Donald Trump to visit the United States, choosing instead to visit Odisha, which he described as the “Land of Lord Jagannath.”
“I respectfully declined President Trump’s invitation to visit the United States because I wished to come to the sacred land of Lord Jagannath,” Modi said, while addressing a large gathering in Bhubaneswar.
The event marked the completion of one year of the first-ever BJP government in Odisha, a milestone the Prime Minister hailed as the beginning of an era of good governance and people-centric development in the state.
During his address, Modi highlighted the recent fulfillment of long-standing public demands by the Odisha government, including the reopening of all four gates of the revered Puri Jagannath temple and access to the temple’s Ratna Bhandar (treasury), which had been locked for years.
He said this spiritual rejuvenation was symbolic of transparent governance and responsiveness to the people’s faith and aspirations.
Modi took the opportunity to contrast the current governance model with previous regimes, particularly targeting the Congress party. He alleged that decades of Congress rule were marked by a lack of accountability, weak leadership, and poor delivery of basic public services, all of which, he claimed, had been transformed in just one year of BJP rule in Odisha.
Trump’sInvitatione and Modi’s Prioritisation of Spiritual Duty
While Prime Minister Modi was recently in Canada attending the G7 summit at the host country’s invitation, he held a 35-minute telephonic conversation with former President Donald Trump—their first interaction since the launch of India’s Operation Sindoor, a strategic evacuation and relief initiative.
Providing details of the conversation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said: “President Trump invited Prime Minister Modi to stop over in the United States on his return from the G7 summit.
Due to prior engagements in India, including his visit to Odisha, Prime Minister Modi politely declined the offer. However, both leaders agreed to schedule a meeting at a mutually convenient time shortly.”
During the same phone call, Modi reportedly clarified to Trump that the recent de-escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was the outcome of direct bilateral discussions, without any third-party mediation. He firmly stated that no proposal for an India-US trade deal or mediation in the conflict had been discussed at any level.
Trump’s Repeated Claims on Mediation Disputed
Despite Modi’s clarification, Donald Trump has continued to publicly claim credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire. Hours after the phone call, he told reporters:
“Well, I stopped the war between Pakistan—I love Pakistan—I think Modi is a fantastic man… And I stopped the war between Pakistan and India.”
Trump linked this alleged success to his strategy of trade diplomacy, suggesting that his efforts helped persuade both sides to step back from the brink of war.
He specifically named Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir—whom Trump had hosted for a working lunch at the White House—and Prime Minister Modi, describing them as “extremely influential” leaders who responded to his diplomatic overtures.
Trump claimed:
“They are both nuclear countries. I got it stopped.”
India Reaffirms Autonomy in Foreign Policy
Indian officials have refrained from directly countering Trump’s remarks, but senior sources in the External Affairs Ministry have reiterated India’s independent foreign policy stance, stressing that all decisions regarding regional peace and national security are taken by India, based solely on its own strategic priorities and sovereign interests.
Analysts believe Modi’s emphasis on domestic commitments—like visiting Odisha during a significant religious and political occasion—serves both as a signal of prioritising national sentiment over global optics, and a subtle assertion of India’s policy autonomy at a time when international players, including the US, seek to portray themselves as behind-the-scenes peace brokers in South Asia.
Balancing Diplomacy with Domestic Devotion
Modi’s choice to honour the cultural and spiritual traditions of India over high-profile diplomatic overtures aligns with his broader political narrative of “Bharatiyata” (Indian-ness), wherein national identity, spiritual heritage, and domestic governance take precedence over foreign engagements unless they align with India’s strategic goals.
As India continues to emerge as a global power, incidents like this underline a larger shift: New Delhi is no longer content with being a passive participant in international diplomacy, but is increasingly asserting its agency, principles, and priorities, both on the world stage and within its borders.