M Modi received at the airport by senior Biden officials and envoy Taranjit Singh Sandhu
New Delhi:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who left for his three-day visit to the US on Wednesday, as a crowd of Indian-Americans arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC, chanted his name and welcomed him by waving the Indian flag amid light rain. Despite heavy rain since morning, a large number of Indians had gathered at Andrews Joint Air Force Base to welcome the American Prime Minister.
- PM Modi was received at the airport by senior officials of the Biden administration and India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
- The PM, who is visiting the US for the seventh time since taking office in 2014, said the visit is an opportunity to “strengthen our strategic partnership with the US and strengthen ties with Japan and Australia”. He had said that in his meeting with President Biden, he would review the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
- At the first in-person quad summit, PM Modi said his meetings with President Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga were an opportunity to take stock of the results of a virtual summit in March and “recognize” will provide. Priorities for future engagements based on our shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region”.
- The Afghan situation and its implications, China’s growing assertiveness, ways to curb radicalization and cross-border terrorism, and further expansion of the India-US global partnership, are expected to be the central focus of the first personal meeting between PM Modi and President Biden. September 24 in Washington.
- In his first overseas visit beyond the neighborhood since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Modi will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
- A meeting with Kamala Harris, the Vice President who has her roots in India, is also on the itinerary. Referring to his first meeting with him, PM Modi said he is “looking forward” to the dialogue to explore opportunities for cooperation, especially in the field of science and technology. They had spoken over the telephone earlier in June.
- The prime minister is also scheduled to meet several top executives of major US companies in Washington, including the heads of Qualcomm, Adobe, Blackstone, General Atomics and First Solar, news agency ANI reported.
- The PM will visit New York on 24 September and address the United Nations General Assembly the next day. His speech will focus on global challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to tackle terrorism, climate change and other important issues.
- The last time PM Modi visited the US was in September 2019 when he and the then US President Donald Trump addressed the ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston.
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