PM Modi departs for first ever official State visit to US, says visit will boost ties with America New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday has embarked on his first ever state visit to the United States from June 21 to 24. The first official state visit follows on an invitation by President Joe Biden. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who left from Delhi, in his departure message, said his visit would further boost ties with the US.
Leaving for USA, where I will attend programmes in New York City and Washington DC. These programmes include Yoga Day celebrations at the UN HQ, talks with President Joe Biden, address to the Joint Session of the US Congress and more, PM Modi said in a tweet.
In USA, I will also get the opportunity to meet business leaders, interact with the Indian community and meet thought leaders from different walks of life. We seek to deepen India-USA ties in key sectors like trade, commerce, innovation, technology and other such areas, Modi added.
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On June 22, PM Modi will receive the rare honour of being hosted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden with a historic state dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C. During his visit, he will attend Yoga Day celebrations at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York.
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He will also be attending the the Joint Session of the US Congress in Washington, DC and will address the Members of the US Congress. PM Modi will also meet business leaders, interact with the Indian community and meet thought leaders from different walks of life. Modi will leave for Egypt from the US and will have bilaterals with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
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Here is the full transcript of his departure statement:
I am travelling to the United States of America on a State Visit at the invitation of President Joseph Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. This special invitation is a reflection of the vigour and vitality of the partnership between our democracies.
I will commence my visit in New York, where I will celebrate the International Day of Yoga on June 21 at the United Nations Headquarters with the UN leadership and members of the international community. I look forward to this special celebration at the very location that supported India’s proposal in December 2014 to recognize an International Day of Yoga.
I will thereafter travel to Washington D.C. President Biden and I have had the opportunity to meet several times since my last Official Visit to the USA in September 2021. This visit will be an opportunity to enrich the depth and diversity of our partnership.
India-US ties are multifaceted, with deepening engagements across sectors. USA is India’s largest trade partner in goods and services. We collaborate closely in science & technology, education, health, defence and security fields. The initiative on Critical & Emerging Technologies has added new dimensions and widened collaboration to defence industrial cooperation, space, telecom, quantum, Artificial Intelligence and biotech sectors. Our two countries are also collaborating to further our shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
My discussions with President Biden and other senior US leaders will provide an opportunity to consolidate our bilateral cooperation as well as in plurilateral forums such as G20, Quad and IPEF.
I will also have the pleasure of joining President Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden for the State Banquet along with a number of dignitaries.
The US Congress has always provided strong bi-partisan support to India-US ties. During my visit, I will address a Joint Session of the US Congress at the invitation of Congressional leadership.
Strong people-to-people linkages have been instrumental in developing the trust between our countries. I look forward to meeting the vibrant Indian-American community that represents the best of our societies. I will also meet some of the leading CEOs to discuss opportunities for elevating our trade and investment relationship and for building resilient global supply chains.
I am confident that my visit to the US will reinforce our ties based on shared values of democracy, diversity and freedom. Together we stand stronger in meeting the shared global challenges.
To Egypt-I will travel to Cairo from Washington D.C. at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. I am excited to pay a State Visit to a close and friendly country for the first time.
We had the pleasure of receiving President Sisi as the Chief Guest at our Republic Day celebrations this year. These two visits in the span of a few months is a reflection of our rapidly evolving partnership with Egypt, which was elevated to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ during President Sisi’s visit.
I look forward to my discussions with President Sisi and senior members of the Egyptian Government to impart further momentum to our civilizational and multi-faceted partnership. I will also have the opportunity to interact with the vibrant Indian diaspora in Egypt.
