New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will, on Wednesday, be leaving for his maiden bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden, Foreign Secretary HV Shringla informed media personnel in Delhi today. He'll return to India on September 26. PM Modi will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including EAM S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval.
Shringla said that the main elements of the program will be the first in-person meeting with US Pres, QUAD Leaders meet & UNGA. Although PM Modi has spoken to Biden virtually several times after the Democratic Party leader became the president, this will be the first time the two leaders will come face to face.
The bilateral engagement will also include a meeting with the US Vice-President Kamala Harris. This will be PM Modi's first formal interaction with the vice president as well.
Also read: Biden to host Modi for bilateral meeting at White House on Sep 24
Shringla said that the Prime Minister will also participate in the Covid-19 Global Summit by President Biden.
The two leaders are expected to review the US-India relations at the meeting, scheduled to be held at the White House. Shringla said that the two leaders are expected to discuss ways to bolster trade and investment ties, strengthen defence and security collaborations, boost clean energy partnership, among other things.
With respect to rapid changes to the regional security situation post the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, Shringla said that the meeting "would discuss the need to stem radicalisation, extremism, cross-border terrorism & dismantling of global terror networks."
Replying to a query regarding the recent trilateral defence agreement - AUKUS - between the US, UK and Australia, Shringla clarified that the QUAD & the AUKUS are different in nature.
"QUAD is designed to cater to the requirements of the Indo-Pacific. AUKUS is a security alliance between three countries. AUKUS isn't relevant to QUAD and will have no impact on QUAD functioning," Shringla said on the signing of the AUKUS pact.
Also read: France's Macron to talk to Biden amid crisis over submarines
The trilateral security pact, that will enable Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time using technology provided by the United States, caused quite a stir. The deal has resulted in a diplomatic crisis between the US and Frace after the latter was lost a lucrative defence deal due to the AUKUS pact.
The AUKUS agreement is widely seen as an effort to counter China's influence in the South China Sea. However, many analysts argue that the Aukus pact will reduce the importance of 'Quad'.
