UPDATE - US to increase military sales to India: Trump

ADDS MORE REMARKS FROM US PRESIDENT

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US will increase military sales to India, President Donald Trump said Thursday.

"Starting this year, we’ll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars," Trump said at a news conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House.

Trump also said they agreed to strengthen ties even further.

The US will also provide India with F-35 stealth fighters, he added.

- 'One of the greatest trade routes in all of history'

Trump also said they agreed to work together to help build "one of the greatest trade routes in all of history."

"It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the United States, connecting our partners by ports, railways and undersea cables," he said, calling it a "big development."

"It's a lot of money going to be spent, and we've already spent some, but we're going to be spending a lot more in order to stay advanced," he added.

Trump said he believes that the friendship between the US and India is "the best it's ever been."