New Delhi: With United States President Donald Trump having a busy schedule, government sources on Thursday said the dates for his India visit are still under consideration, whether it is before, after or for the Republic Day celebrations next year. “The date, time and occasion are still under consideration,” sources said. Sources pointed out that even when then President Barack Obama attended the R-Day parade in 2015 as chief guest, the US administration had confirmed his visit only in November, 2014. New Delhi had earlier invited President Trump to be the chief guest for the R-Day celebrations on January 26, 2019. The US administration had said last week that an invitation had been extended by India but that no final decision had been taken as yet on President Trump attending.

India and the United States will hold their the “inaugural 2+2 dialogue” with the United States at the foreign and defence ministerial level would be held in New Delhi on September 6.

Minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will host the US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and US secretary of defence James Mattis in New Delhi on that day for the 2+2 dialogue.