PM Narendra Modi left for America today for landmark visit; Defense, strengthening trade ties top priority

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to leave for the United States on Tuesday for a historic ‘state visit’ – the highest diplomatic reception for closest allies. An unprecedented deal on jet engine technology transfer is also expected during the visit.

PM Modi’s schedule for the next four days will include a rare address to a joint session of the US Congress, meetings with business leaders and the Indian diaspora and a state dinner at the White House with US President Joe Biden. Thursday will be the Prime Minister’s second address to the US Congress. The invitation to speak was extended by the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The visit is expected to give India access to critical US technologies that Washington rarely shares with non-allies, cementing a new bond that is linked not only to global politics but also trade and economics. .

India and the US are also set to unveil a roadmap for industries in the region to co-produce, co-develop and sustain supply transformation during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US starting June 21.

Modi-Biden talks on bilateral trade, investment, technology transfer

Prime Minister Modi, during his first state visit to the US, will discuss with President Joe Biden on improving trade and investment ties, besides building closer ties in technology sectors including telecom, space and manufacturing.

Addressing a press conference here, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the Prime Minister will also pay a state visit to Egypt from June 24-25 at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, during which he plans to visit the 11th-century mosque. There is also a program. Al-Hakim, which was renovated and renovated by the Bohra community. The Foreign Secretary said that the Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap was expected to be one of the key outcomes of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US.

“It essentially focuses on all aspects of defense co-production and co-development. It also talks about how the defense industrial ecosystems of the two countries can better cooperate, how sectors of the defense industry The supply lines can also interface with each other.” Much better,” he said.

Kwatra described defense cooperation as a “key pillar” of India’s ties with the US. “If you look at the full matrix of the India-US defense partnership, it is very robust, very dynamic, it has all the key elements that make it so important.

“We conduct a large number of bilateral military exercises, both bilateral as well as regional in nature. There are staff-to-staff engagements in the armed forces. India also deploys American equipment and platforms. Some of them are used by India. goes.” They said.

At the same time, challenges arising from incidents like the attempt to incite violence outside the Indian Embassy in Washington will also be on the minds of Biden and Modi. “The underlying intent and goal of these attacks is something we are concerned (about) and we have shared those concerns very actively and fully with countries where such attacks are taking place,” Kwatra said. Organizations work.”

PM to lead Yoga Day programs

PM Modi will start the US trip from New York, where he will lead the International Day of Yoga celebrations at the United Nations Headquarters and meet prominent personalities and leaders on June 21. He will travel to Washington the same day and be joined by President Biden and President Biden. First Lady Jill Biden for a private engagement.

State dinner for PM Modi

Prime Minister Modi will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the White House on June 22, followed by a formal bilateral meeting with Biden. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will also host a state dinner in Modi’s honor on Thursday evening. On Friday, the Prime Minister will interact with selected CEOs of major companies. Later, US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Bilken will host a state luncheon.

Prime Minister Modi will also address the Indian-American community at the Reagan Center. Kwatra said, “It’s a milestone in our relationship. It’s a very important visit, a very important visit, a visit that has genuine, broad and deep interest in the US.” Multiple times since 2014. On the planned protests against PM Modi’s visit to the US, Kwatra said India looks at travel very differently.

“We sense deep and widespread positive interest in the US on travel. We know the positive things we can do in the relationship are evidence-based. We are determined and purposeful to move into new domains of strategic partnership that Quatra Not only are our two societies, two countries, two systems important to the partnership, which will also be a net positive contributor to development in the world, he said.

The extent of enthusiasm was clear in different sections of the US system, he said. “You can see this unfolding well across the pages of the media and determine what is the frame of reference in which the two systems are viewing the relationship,” Kwatra said.

On the situation in Myanmar, Kwatra said India’s position on Myanmar has always been clear and the US side appreciates that. “We should not forget that we have a huge border with Myanmar. Myanmar is our neighbor. The kind of framework in which we deal with our relations in Myanmar is very different. Cooperation has continued, even when Myanmar was troubled at the time, so to speak,” the foreign secretary said.

“As neighbours, we have always tried, we have wished and we strive in that direction so that the country remains peaceful and stable,” Kwatra said.