Prime Minister Modi arrives in Washington for the second leg of his first state visit to the US | Top updates
Prime Minister Modi arrived here from New York, where earlier in the day he presided over a historic event at UN headquarters commemorating the 9th International Day of Yoga, attended by UN officials, diplomats and prominent personalities.
Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Wednesday on the second leg of his first state visit to the US, where he will hold bilateral talks with President Joe Biden and address a joint session of the US Congress.
Prime Minister Modi arrived here from New York, where earlier in the day he presided over a historic event at UN headquarters commemorating the 9th International Day of Yoga, attended by UN officials, diplomats and prominent personalities.
‘Washington DC reached. The warmth of the Indian community and the blessings of Indra Devta made the arrival even more special,” Modi tweeted.
The prime minister, who is visiting the US at the invitation of President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, will be present at the state banquet on Thursday along with a number of dignitaries.
Modi arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Washington, D.C., where he was given a guard of honor amid relentless rain. The prime minister, wearing a raincoat, stood for the national anthem of the two countries.
“The official state visit is moving to the next phase. PM @narendramodi provided a ceremonial welcome and guard of honor as he set foot at Joint Base Andrews airport in Washington DC. In Washington DC, the Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with @POTUS @JoeBiden; address the joint session of the US Congress; and interacting with CEOs and a cross-section of the Indian diaspora,” Arindam Bagchi, the State Department’s official spokesperson, said in a tweet.
From the airport, Modi traveled to the hotel where members of the Indian diaspora were waiting for him.
Members of the Indian diaspora braved the rain to welcome Modi to Washington’s Freedom Plaza. Some members of the community performed cultural programs including “Garba” and other folk dances outside the Washington DC hotel where Modi will be staying.
“We are very happy, this is a memorable event. We are very excited and looking forward to it,” said Kavita, a Kuchipudi dancer representing Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Some diaspora members in colorful attire carried Indian flags and chanted ‘Modi-Modi’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. Modi spoke briefly to the enthusiastic supporters at the hotel and signed autographs to some of them.
Later, the First Lady and Prime Minister Modi will visit the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia to highlight the shared priorities of the US and India in education and labor. The First Lady will highlight career-related learning and staff training programs and partnerships between high schools, community colleges and universities with employers.
During the visit, the First Lady and Prime Minister will meet students from the US and India who are learning skills to succeed in sectors vital to the economies of the two countries.
In his departure statement, Modi had said that this “special invitation” from President Biden and the First Lady for a state visit reflects the strength and vitality of the partnership between the democracies.
Modi and Biden have been able to meet several times since his last official visit to the US in September 2021. “This visit will be an opportunity to enrich the depth and diversity of our partnership,” Modi said.
Modi said his talks with President Biden and other leading US leaders will provide an opportunity to consolidate bilateral cooperation, as well as in plurilateral fora such as G20, Quad and IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity).
Noting that the US Congress has always given strong bipartisan support to India-US ties, Modi said he will address a joint session of the US Congress at the invitation of the Congress leadership during his visit.
“Strong ties between people have played an important role in developing trust between our countries. I look forward to meeting the vibrant Indian-American community that represents the best of our societies,” he said.
In Washington, Modi will also meet business leaders and interact with the Indian community.
“We are trying to deepen India-US ties in key sectors such as trade, commerce, innovation, technology and other similar areas,” he said.
The US is India’s largest trading partner in goods and services, and the two countries cooperate closely in science and technology, education, health, defense and security, the prime minister said.
The Critical and Emerging Technologies Initiative has added new dimensions and broadened cooperation across defense, industrial cooperation, aerospace, telecom, quantum, artificial intelligence and biotech sectors, he added.
“Our two countries are also working together to advance our shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Modi expressed confidence that his visit to the US will strengthen ties between the two countries based on shared values of democracy, diversity and freedom.
“Together we are stronger in facing the shared global challenges,” Modi said in his statement.
Modi is traveling from the US to Egypt at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
(with PTI inputs)