Modi, Trump share 'warm' phone conversation

New Delhi : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged Wednesday to work closely with Donald Trump after the new US president invited him to Washington, looking to ensure an upturn in ties survives a change at the White House.

After their first phone call since Trump's inauguration, the leaders of the world's two largest democracies both indicated they had had a warm conversation and extended mutual invitations to their respective capitals.

Modi was effectively barred from the United States for many years as punishment for deadly communal riots in the western state of Gujarat during his time as chief minister.

But after his landslide election victory, Modi built a strong rapport with Barack Obama who became the first sitting US president to pay a second visit to India during the 2015 Republic Day celebrations.

A surprisingly warm conversation in November between Trump and Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif caused alarm in New Delhi which is trying to portray its rival regime in Islamabad as the "mothership of terrorism".

But official statements issued after Tuesday's night phone call indicated that both men are keen to build on the recent improvement in ties.

Writing on Twitter, Modi said he "had a warm conversation" with the new US president and that they had both "agreed to work closely in the coming days to further strengthen our bilateral ties".

"Have also invited President Trump to visit India," Modi added after the White House revealed Washington had extended a similar invite.