Washington: US President Donald Trump has said that America loves India as he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for greeting him on the occasion of the 244th Independence Day of the United States.

The Fourth of July -- also known as Independence Day or July 4th is a federal holiday in the US commemorating the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776.

Prime Minister Modi on Saturday congratulated President Trump and the people of the US on the country's 244th Independence Day, saying as the world's largest democracies "we cherish freedom and human enterprise that this day celebrates".

"I congratulate US President Donald Trump and the people of the USA on the 244th Independence Day of the USA," Modi tweeted.

Responding to the greetings from the prime minister on the popular micro-blogging site, Trump said in a tweet: Thank you my friend. America loves India!

The Twitter exchange between the leaders of the world's oldest and largest democracies were welcomed by people from both the countries and it went viral on the social media.

The world is witnessing the unbelievable bond and love between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi - America and India, the two largest democracies of the world, said Al Mason, co-chair of the Trump Victory Indian-American Finance Committee.

America is blessed to have you Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India as our valued friend. America and India - the two largest democracies in the world! God's blessings to you as you lead India, popular African-American singer Mary Millben tweeted.

Kudus to both leaders for cementing such a solid relationship, which can weather any storm, he added. India loves America too, tweeted one Gurdeep Singh.

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Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.

Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”

He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.

His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.

Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.

He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.

“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.