Washington: On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival to the United States, the White House has said that his visit would be a celebration of the remarkable transformation in Indo-US ties.
This will be PM Modi’s fourth visit to US since his two year’s in office. "This visit celebrates the remarkable transformation in US-India ties. Over the last seven years, the United States and India have cemented an enduring bond of friendship, built on democratic values, open societies, and a respect for a rules-based order," a senior administration official told PTI.
"The Prime Minister's visit will also highlight the growing collaboration between our two countries and, more consequentially, our shared leadership on the world stage," the official said.
"From addressing climate change and providing clean energy solutions, to deepening our economic and trade ties, to preserving cyberspace as an engine for growth and development, to protecting our shared spaces on the sea, in the air, and in space, the world is better when the United States and India lead together," the official added.
At the invitation of President Barack Obama, Modi arrives in the US capital tomorrow afternoon as he and Obama are scheduled to meet at the Oval Office.
The President will host a lunch for the Prime Minister after the meeting. This will be seventh meeting between the two heads of state.
In his last year in the office, President Barack Obama is inviting a very few world leaders with whom "he had a very close and productive working relationship", among them Narendra Modi.
“President Obama spoke to the Prime Minister and mentioned to him that this year he was inviting some leaders with whom he had a very close and productive working relationship to visit him in the United States,” foreign secretary S Jaishankar said on Friday.
On Wednesday, Modi would address a joint meeting of the US Congress, the first foreign leader to do so this year and also the first to address a joint meeting of the Congress under Speaker Paul Ryan.
Meanwhile two leading US dailies - the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal - have said that Obama building a relationship with Modi is primarily aimed at China.
The two leaders "have each invested in developing a close relationship", Benjamin J Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor was quoted as saying by NYT.
The daily said the US is encouraging the rise of India as a giant Asian partner to balance China, and India is trying to accelerate its economy with an injection of investment from American companies.
The Wall Street Journal said among the factors propelling India-US the relationship is China's growing footprint in India's traditional sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean.
The White House is looking to increase economic and defence cooperation during the visit and to cement the new momentum in ties before turning the relationship over to the next US president, WSJ reported.
(With inputs from agencies)
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