NEW DELHI, 12 JAN

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States on 20 January.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday that Jaishankar will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming Trump administration during his visit to the US.

Trump had defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election held in November.

Last month, Jaishankar said Trump has had a positive political view of India and it is in a much more advantageous position than many other countries to build "deeper" relations with his administration and take the bilateral ties forward.

"On the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent the Government of India at the swearing-In ceremony of President-Elect Donald J Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America," it said.

JD Vance will be the new US Vice President.

"During the visit, the external affairs minister will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming administration, as also some other dignitaries visiting the US on that occasion," the MEA said in a statement.

There have been concerns in many countries over the Trump administration's policy over a range of sensitive issues including tariff, climate change and overall foreign policy priorities against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation in West Asia.

It is for the second time Trump will be the US President. He served as the 45th President of the US from January, 2017 to January 2021.