PM Modi and President Obama shake hands after their meeting at the White House on Tuesday. (Press Trust of India)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday termed it a "happy coincidence" that his summit meeting with US President Barack Obama took place days after an "India-US summit" between the two countries' orbiters over Mars.
"After the Indian and US missions held a summit in space after reaching Mars, we are holding a summit meeting here. This is a happy coincidence," Mr Modi said after meeting with President Obama at the White House.
India's Mars Orbiter Mission last week entered the Mars orbit successfully, days after that of NASA's Mars Maven rover.
Mr Modi, has repeatedly praised the Indian Space Research Organisation's Mars mission, describing its cost - 74 million dollars - as cheaper than that of Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster "Gravity."