NEW DELHI: Two days after visiting forward posts in Ladakh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday and briefed him on “issues of national and international importance”, Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
The visit came at a time when India is gradually rolling out punitive economic actions aimed at China in the aftermath of the June 14/15 violent clash in the Galwan Valley of East Ladakh.
“Prime Minister @narendramodi called on President Kovind and briefed him on the issues of national and international importance at Rashtrapati Bhavan,” the official handle of the President tweeted.
The Modi-led NDA government at the Centre completed one year in office on May 30. The meeting also came at a time when India has scaled up military and paramilitary deployments along the troubled Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
The PM had last month also called an all-party meeting to discuss the issue of the stand-off with China.
This was Modi’s first one-on-one with President Kovind after the Covid-19 outbreak and the consequent lockdown in phases.
He briefed the President on the prevailing situation and the government’s responses, said a senior official. The prime minister is also likely to expand his council of ministers.
BJP circles have been abuzz for a while about the likely induction of fresh faces along with space for NDA allies. The JD(U) is not yet part of the council of ministers at the Centre.
The NDA, incidentally, has begun preparing for the Bihar Assembly elections, which may be held during October-November in multiple phases.
Modi’s visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan has also come at a time when the presiding officers of the two Houses of Parliament are exploring ways to hold the Monsoon session.
There exists, however, a six-month window till September for summoning the session.