WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make his first official state visit to Washington DC on June 22 after nearly nine years at the helm during which time he has routinely made annual trips to the US.
Both White House and India’s ministry of external affairs issued differently worded statements formally announcing the state visit, which is considered the highest expression of friendly bilateral relations between two sovereign nations, typically close allies or partners. It generally includes pomp, ceremony, reception, and a swish state dinner.
The Indian government said in a statement that Modi will visit the US following an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. This will be Modi’s sixth visit to the US since taking over as PM in 2014. The two leaders are also expected to meet at the G7 and Quad summit meetings later this month in Hiroshima and Sydney, respectively.
PM Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden would reflect on their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive IndoPacific and discuss opportunities to expand and consolidate the Quad engagement when the former travels to the US for his first official state visit, according to the Indian side.
Apart from Washington, PM Modi is also expected to visit New York and Chicago during his fourday visit, which begins on June 21. President Joe Biden, evidently keen to upgrade already strong ties with India, has hosted two state dinners during his term — for French President Emmanuel Macron in December 2022 and for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol last month. The last Indian PM to attend a state dinner at the White House was Dr Manmohan Singh in 2009 during the Obama presidency
“The upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together,” the White House said in a statement announcing the visit, invoking a personal peopletopeople element to the trip. “The leaders will discuss ways to further expand our educational exchanges and peopletopeople ties, as well as our work together to confront common challenges from climate change to workforce development and health security,” the White House said
Calling the visit ‘historic’, the Indian government said: “The visit will underscore the growing importance of the strategic partnership between India and the US as the two nations collaborate across numerous sectors. The leaders will have the opportunity to review strong bilateral ties in various areas of mutual interest, including technology, trade, industry, education, research, clean energy, defence, security, healthcare, and deepening peopletopeople connections.”
PM Modi and US President Biden will also explore ways to strengthen IndiaUS collaboration in plurilateral and multilateral fora, including in the G20, the government statement said. President Biden is expected to be in India for the G20 meeting in September soon after the Modi visit.
Typically, PM Modi comes to the US on official working visits, with a community reception on the sidelines in one of the tier one US cities. Modi’s visit will likely be the most keenly followed bilateral engagement in a series of meetings he is expected to have in the next few months.
Both White House and India’s ministry of external affairs issued differently worded statements formally announcing the state visit, which is considered the highest expression of friendly bilateral relations between two sovereign nations, typically close allies or partners. It generally includes pomp, ceremony, reception, and a swish state dinner.
The Indian government said in a statement that Modi will visit the US following an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. This will be Modi’s sixth visit to the US since taking over as PM in 2014. The two leaders are also expected to meet at the G7 and Quad summit meetings later this month in Hiroshima and Sydney, respectively.
PM Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden would reflect on their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive IndoPacific and discuss opportunities to expand and consolidate the Quad engagement when the former travels to the US for his first official state visit, according to the Indian side.
Apart from Washington, PM Modi is also expected to visit New York and Chicago during his fourday visit, which begins on June 21. President Joe Biden, evidently keen to upgrade already strong ties with India, has hosted two state dinners during his term — for French President Emmanuel Macron in December 2022 and for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol last month. The last Indian PM to attend a state dinner at the White House was Dr Manmohan Singh in 2009 during the Obama presidency
“The upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together,” the White House said in a statement announcing the visit, invoking a personal peopletopeople element to the trip. “The leaders will discuss ways to further expand our educational exchanges and peopletopeople ties, as well as our work together to confront common challenges from climate change to workforce development and health security,” the White House said
Calling the visit ‘historic’, the Indian government said: “The visit will underscore the growing importance of the strategic partnership between India and the US as the two nations collaborate across numerous sectors. The leaders will have the opportunity to review strong bilateral ties in various areas of mutual interest, including technology, trade, industry, education, research, clean energy, defence, security, healthcare, and deepening peopletopeople connections.”
PM Modi and US President Biden will also explore ways to strengthen IndiaUS collaboration in plurilateral and multilateral fora, including in the G20, the government statement said. President Biden is expected to be in India for the G20 meeting in September soon after the Modi visit.
Typically, PM Modi comes to the US on official working visits, with a community reception on the sidelines in one of the tier one US cities. Modi’s visit will likely be the most keenly followed bilateral engagement in a series of meetings he is expected to have in the next few months.
