The Houston rally, the third such event by PM Modi in the US, is expected to surpass anything hosted for or by a foreign leader on American soil.It is hard to recall an instance of such a large political rally in America, not even for Trump or his predecessor at the peak of their popularity. Crowds of this size are only seen at major sporting events such as the Superbowl.

WASHINGTON: The White House has formally confirmed that US President Donald Trump will participate in the “Howdy, Modi” rally in Houston, Texas, on September 22 leading up to the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to the US next week. The joint appearance at such a large rally will be an unprecedented event in the annals of US-India relations, and indeed US ties with any country.

“The event, 'Howdy, Modi! Shared Dreams, Bright Futures,' is expected to draw tens of thousands of people. It will be a great opportunity to emphasise the strong ties between the people of the United States and India, to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies, and to discuss ways to deepen their energy and trade relationship,” the White House said in an announcement of the event, first reported in Times of India on Sunday

Following the “Howdy, Modi” rally in Texas, the White House said Trump will travel to Wapakoneta, Ohio, where he will be joined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia for a tour of a new, Australian-owned manufacturing facility. Trump’s presence at the events are aimed at underscoring the important partnerships between the United States and India, and Australia, the White House statement added.

The Houston rally, the third such event by Prime Minister Modi in the US after a breakthrough public meeting in New York at the Madison Square Gardens, New York in 2014 and in Silicon Valley in 2017, is expected to surpass anything hosted for or by a foreign leader on American soil. Organisers of the event, to be held at the 50,000-capacity NRG Stadium say it is already sold out.
In fact, it is hard to recall an instance of such a large political rally in America, not even for President Trump or his predecessor Barack Obama at the peak of their popularity. Crowds of this size are only seen at major sporting events such as the Superbowl.

But organisers of the event say they have no problem attracting people for the event in America’s fourth-largest city, which along with surrounding areas and nearby cities, has an Indian-origin population of more than 150,000. Many enthusiastic Modi supporters are expected to fly in or drive in from different parts of the country.

Given the scale and scope of the rally, it was inevitable that President Trump would take note and/or turn up, given his propensity to constantly talk about the size of the crowd at his rallies. But beyond his fondness for crowds and spectacle, the decision to attend the rally also has three elements to it.

The primary element is to showcase the close ties between the two countries at a time of tension in the region. “The two leaders addressing the ‘Howdy Mody’ event is historic and unprecedented. It reflects not only the closeness and comfort levels in the relationship but also the personal chemistry and friendship between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump,” India’s ambassador to the US, Harsh Shringla said.

But there are also domestic reasons for Trump to turn up a rally where Modi will be the rock star. Aside from being America’s fourth-largest city, Houston is also its energy capital. And India is a large energy guzzler that is already buying significant amounts of oil and gas from Houston, a supply that is expected to go even further up given the kind of disruption in the Gulf.

A third reason is Texas could be up for grabs in the 2020 elections and every vote counts. Although the Lone Star state has been consistently Republican red since 1976 (Jimmy Carter was the last Democrat to win the state), it has lately turned purple and Democrats are starting to harbour hopes of an upset.

But the Indian side is also leery of being identified too closely with Republicans. In fact, many Democrat legislators are expected to be among the nearly 60 lawmakers who are expected to attend the rally, many of them conscious of the financial and academic clout Indian Americans have in the US, disproportionate to their overall numbers.

Indian officials said house majority leader Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking member of the Democratic leadership, is also going to address the ‘Howdy Modi’ event, “reflecting the strong bipartisan support India-US relations enjoy.”

The rally, one Indian official said, will underline “the warmth between the two great nations but also the personal warmth and respect between the two leaders.” It will also be the first time the leaders will meet outside the capital, Washington DC, or New York.

"It is a huge endorsement for the efforts and success of the 3 million strong Indian American diaspora and their contribution in all walks of life,” Ambassador Shringla said, pointing out that attendance from both sides of the aisle “reflects the strong bipartisan support India-US relations enjoy."

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