PM Modi Embarks On Three-Day Visit To US, First State Visit To The Country In Nine Years In Office

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today embarked for his first State visit to the country in nine years in office. The visit will include at least three meetings with US President Joe Biden in three days, including a private engagement, a State dinner, a lunch jointly hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and a reception hosted by US Congressional leaders.

“This forthcoming State visit by the Prime Minister is a milestone in the relationship between India and the US," said Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra during a briefing. "It is a very significant visit, a very important visit, a visit on which there is a genuine, widespread and deep interest in the US”, he further added.

Since 2014, PM Modi has made six visits to the US.

The two countries are collaborating on a roadmap for cooperation between defence industries to closely partner in co-production, co-development, and maintaining supply chains during the visit. The countries also aim to strengthen trade and investment relations and deepen ties in the technology domain, including telecom, space, and manufacturing.

According to Foreign Secretary Kwatra, PM Modi's visit to the US is expected to result in the Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap being one of the key outcomes.

"The roadmap essentially focuses on all aspects of defence co-production and co-development. It also discusses how the defence industrial ecosystems of the two countries can cooperate much better and how the supply lines in the field of defence industry can interface with each other much better," he said.

Kwatra emphasized that defence cooperation is a "key pillar" of India's relationship with the US.

PM Modi will begin his US trip in New York, where he will lead the International Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations headquarters and meet with prominent personalities and thought-leaders on June 21.

The same day, he will travel to Washington DC and have a private engagement with President Biden and first lady Jill Biden. The White House will accord the Prime Minister a ceremonial welcome on June 22, followed by a formal bilateral meeting with Biden.

Thursday evening (June 22) will see President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosting a state dinner in honour of PM Modi.

On Friday, select Chief Executive Officers of leading companies will interact with the Prime Minister. Later, the State luncheon will be hosted by US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

At the Reagan Centre, Prime Minister Modi will address Indian-American community leaders. He will also meet with members from think tanks, young entrepreneurs, and businesspersons at the Kennedy Centre.

According to Kwatra, the Indian diaspora is the "strongest anchors" of the relationship.

"We are determined and targeted to move to new domains in the relationship," said Kwatra. The discussions will prioritize the area of critical and emerging technologies.

Notably, PM Modi and Biden are also expected to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest in the region as well as globally, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, terrorism threats, and China's belligerence.