-1768221245630.webp)
- By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
- Mon, 12 Jan 2026 06:10 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor on Monday laid emphasis on the "friendship" between US President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he said no country is as essential as India for Washington. Gor expressed hopes that the US President would be visiting India in the coming year. Talking about India, the US envoy said, "This is the intersection between the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy. During my last dinner with him, President Trump recounted his last visit to India and also his great friendship with the great Prime Minister of India."
"I hope the President will be visiting us soon, hopefully in the next year or two. President Trump has a habit of calling at 2 in the morning, and with the time difference in New Delhi, it might work out pretty well," Sergio Gor said.
India and the US have shared a hot and cold diplomatic relationship over the years. Since the first state visit of Eisenhower in 1959, eight American presidents have travelled to India, each trip serving as a barometer for the geopolitical climate of the era. The relationship between both nations has also undergone a massive transformation, with a cautious approach during the Cold War period to a comprehensive global strategic partnership spanning across various sectors.
Here’s a look at the full list of American Presidents who have visited India in the past.
ALSO READ: Delhi's Yamuna Cruise Between Sonia Vihar And Jagatpur To Begin Soon, Construction Nears Completion
Dwight D Eisenhower, 1959
Dwight Eisenhower was the first US President to visit India in 1959 on a four-day trip, during the tenure of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The American President received a warm welcome along with the traditional 21-gun salute. A vast crowd thronged the national capital to catch a glimpse of the 34th US President, who was seated in an open-top car.
The American President addressed members of both houses of the Parliament and delivered a public address at New Delhi’s Ramlila ground. The visit of the American President also included a stopover at the Taj Mahal, which was the ‘dream place’ of Eisenhower. The trip was seen as a major success for India, especially given the Cold War conditions that existed at that point in time.
ALSO READ: PSLV-C62 Anomaly: Are Back-To-Back Third-Stage Failures ISRO's New PSLV Challenge?
Richard M Nixon, 1969
The next American president to visit India was Richard M Nixon, who visited India on July 31, 1969. The visit, which lasted for less than 24 hours, was largely meant to reduce the diplomatic tensions between Nixon and then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. However, the visit failed to break the ice between the two leaders. The American President reportedly told the White House that Indians were ‘slippery, treacherous people’ according to the tapes declassified by the US State Department.
ALSO READ: Thane: Private School Faces Criminal Case For Refusing Election Duty; TMC Okays Action
Jimmy Carter, 1978
After Nixon, it was Jimmy Carter who came to India in January 1978 during the tenure of Prime Minister Morarji Desai. Carter was on a three-day visit to India and aimed to ease tensions between New Delhi and Washington, especially against the backdrop of the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence and India’s nuclear test of 1974.
The American President held several rounds of meetings with various Indian leaders. He also gifted a television set to Daulatpur Nasirabad village, located near New Delhi. However, he was unable to convince Prime Minister Morarji Desai to leave the nuclear project.
Bill Clinton, 2000
The next American President to visit India was the 42nd US President, Bill Clinton, who visited India for a five-day trip in March 2000 during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The trip was the first visit of an American President, which came after a gap of two decades. The American President’s visit started fresh diplomatic relations between India and the US.
George W Bush, 2006
After Clinton, it was George W Bush who visited for a three-day trip to India in 2006. The American President was met with countrywide protests, with left-wing parliamentarians boycotting his address due to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
However, the trip was fruitful for India, especially in matters of trade and nuclear technology. The trip also helped advance the India-US Civil Nuclear Deal, initiated in 2005, which later ended New Delhi’s isolation from the global nuclear markets.
Barack Obama, 2010 and 2015
President Barack Obama was the next American head of state to visit India in 2010. During the trip, he supported India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. He also signed trade deals worth USD 10 billion and strengthened areas of national security. Obama visited India again in 2015 as the chief guest on Republic Day during the Prime Ministership of Narendra Modi. He is the only US President so far to make two official visits to India.
Donald Trump, 2020
Donald Trump became the seventh President of the United States to travel to India as he visited during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2020. The visit of the American President was primarily aimed towards a USD 3 billion deal, which led to the purchase of 24 MH-60R Seahawk maritime multi-role helicopters and 6 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. The 24-hour visit also included a trip to the Sabarmati Ashram for President Trump and First Lady Melania.
Joe Biden, 2023
US President Joe Biden became the eighth president to visit India for three days in September 2023 during the G20 summit. An agreement was reached to establish the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) on the sidelines of the summit to enhance trade and connectivity and counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative.