Indian Prime Ministers who visited US before Narendra Modi

As Narendra Modi embarks on his maiden visit to the US, India hopes that it will be a fruitful one. Expectations are high as after a long time India has given a clear majority to the party led by Narendra Modi. People of India trusted Narendra Modi's administrative skills and his willingness to work for the nation.Narendra Modi has termed US as a vital partner for India. Modi is confident that his trip to the US will mark a new chapter in bilateral strategic ties.Modi will be in the US for five days where he plans to promote India as a perfect destination for investors. He will also try to seek a more friendly relationship with US after a bitter diplomatic row last year.Obama will host a rare private dinner for Modi at the White House on September 29, aimed at striking a personal chord with the Indian leader ahead of the summit talks next day. The two leaders will be meeting for the first time.In New York, Modi will deliver his maiden address at the UN General Assembly on Saturday. On Sunday, he will be addressing a gathering at Madison Square Garden in New York City.No doubt there is much enthusiasm over Modi's visit to the US, but this is, of course, not for the first time that an Indian PM is visiting US as part of bilateral visit.From Jawaharlal Nehru to Dr Manmohan Singh, many Prime Ministers have visited US in the past.Here goes the list of Indian Prime Ministers who toured United States of America on an official visit before Narendra Modi:Jawaharlal Nehru visit to USAPandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, made his maiden visit to the United States of America on 11th October 1949. He had been officially invited by US President Harry S Truman. Nehru was accompanied by his daughter Indira. On October 13 he addressed the US House of Representatives, becoming the first Indian leader to do so.Nehru had made a special statement then that has been put on record: “To the people of India, I should like to say that the friendship of America is a treasure which we value and I am sure if these two countries cooperate it would add to the peace of the world and will lead to our mutual advantage.”In 1956, Nehru visited the States for the second time. He was welcomed by the then US President Dwight D Eisenhower to the White House in Washington DC and Gettysburg (Pennsylvania).On September 26, 1960 Nehru made his third visit to the US. President Eisenhower and Nehru met in New York while attending UN General Assembly session.The United Nations looked up to Nehru with hopes and aspirations. That year he also addressed the General Assembly during a special session in New York. During this visit he also visited Chicago, Knoxville (Tennessee), San Francisco, and Madison (Wisconsin).On Nehru's fourth visit, John F Kennedy was the President of the US. This was his last official visit to the country.On his visits to the US, Nehru would always interact with young people. He was always made the guest of honor at the Washington National Press club. Journalists liked Nehru quick and witty answers. He always enjoyed media attention.Indira Gandhi visit to the USAIndira Gandhi visited the U.S. three times as the Prime Minister of India. During the time Indira Gandhi served as the PM, India and US relations had touched a new low. The United States cancelled scheduled talks on the resumption of economic aid to India to express its differences with the Indian government's policies.But by late April 1976, American diplomats were talking of vague signs of a ''thaw'' in the bilateral relationship.Her first visit was on March 28, 1966 when Lyndon B. Johnson was the president. She visited Williamsburg and New York City then. Her second visit came on November 3, 1971. Richard Nixon was the President of US at that time.He simply disliked Indira Gandhi. Richard Nixon had met Indira Gandhi in November 1971 in Washington. United States may be cooing over India now, but around 4 decades back its President had once called Indira Gandhi names.Indira Gandhi's last visit to US was on July 27, 1982. This time she visited New York, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.Morarji Desai visit to the USADesai went to the U.S. in 1978 visiting New York, San Francisco and Omaha. He was on an official visit and Jimmy Carter was the President of US at that time.President Carter welcomed Morarji Desai in the White House with an eloquent speech filled with praise for India's PM.He said, “One of the most significant political events of this decade was the vivid reaffirmation in India, in the past election, of democratic principles and the rule of law. India enjoys the prestige of having the largest free electorate in the history of the entire world, a tremendous democratic nation dedicated to the principles which are vividly demonstrated by Prime Minister Desai.He is a man of courage in protecting those principles in which he believes so deeply. Along with Mahatma Gandhi and, later, Prime Minister Nehru, Prime Minister Desai was willing to suffer in prison as a fruitful demonstration of his commitment to those principles which he still protects with his actions and with his deeds.He's a man who frequently says that the means to an end are just as important as the end itself. He abides strictly by his deep-felt standards of conduct and ethics”.Rajiv Gandhi visit to the USARajiv Gandhi spent four days in Washington and one day in Houston during his maiden visit to the US in 1985. US officials were immediately left dazzled by the fact that despite his relative inexperience, Rajiv handled himself with unnerving poise, easy confidence, charm, and often devastating wit in front of some of America's most hard-boiled interlocutors.Rajiv and US President Reagan tried to send out a message to the world that they had together built a firm friendship, opening new channels of cooperation overriding the rigid bureaucracies of both countries.In his interviews and speeches, Rajiv Gandhi told Americans, “India's non-alignment is “bringing democracy into the world arena. We believe that every nation should have the right to say what it thinks.”Rajiv Gandhi visited US four times as the Prime Minister.P V Narasimha Rao visit to the USABy the time P V Narasimha Rao was made the Prime Minister, India and United States had started exploring the avenues for a more friendly relationship between the two countries. The visit to the United States by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao in 1994 marked the onset of improved US-India relations.Rao addressed a joint session of Congress and met with Bill Clinton, the then US President. Although discussions were held on nuclear nonproliferation, human rights, and other issues, the main focus of the visit was rapidly expanding US-India economic relations.In 1995, when P V Narasimha Rao was PM, there was talk of India contemplating nuclear test that did not take place allegedly under US pressure.Rao first visit to US was in January 31, 1992. In this visit he met with George Bush during a UN Security Council Summit in New York.He was on an official visit in May 17, 1994 when he addressed a joint meeting of US Congress and also visited Houston and Boston.In all Rao–who is credited for starting to open India's economy– visited the U.S. twice during his five years in office.Inder Kumar Gujral visit to the USAThough Inder Gujral served as India's Prime Minister for less than a year, he found time to visit New York where he met President Bill Clinton at the U.N. General Assembly in 1997.For Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, the test began even before the special Air India flight landed in New York. The nervousness was apparent when, on board, he said: "If only Bill Clinton could speak Urdu, I would have charmed him with a few couplets."But he managed himself well.Gujral visited US on September 22, 1997. In the UN General Assembly he laid stress on the need for the world to promote sustainable development.Atal Bihari Vajpayee visit to the USADuring Vajpayee's visit to the US, democracy once against appeared to take the centre stage of Indo-US relationship.Vajpayee in his address to joint session of the US congress remarked, "American people have shown that democracy and individual liberty provide the conditions in which knowledge progresses, science discovers, innovation occurs enterprise thrives and ultimately people advance".He further added, "Just as American experience has been a lesson in what people can achieve in a democratic framework, India has been the laboratory of a democratic process rising to meet the strongest challenges that can be flung at it. In the half century of our independent existence, we have woven an exquisite tapestry. Out of diversity, we have brought unity.The several Languages of India speak with one voice under the roof of our Parliament. In your remarkable experiment as a nation-state, you have proven the same truth. Out of the huddled masses that you welcomed to your shores, you have created a great nation.".During Vajpayee's visit a memorial was dedicated to Gandhi and the Prime Minister utilised the occasion to underline the importance of democracy and respect for diversity. Vajpayee said, "We cherish, preserve and promote human rights such as freedom of speech, political choice and religious belief.These are universal values that form the foundation of more tolerant and compassionate societies, a more non-violent world free from tensions and fear."The US too echoed similar sentiments.Vajpayee visited US on four occasions. In his first visit on September 13, 2000 he addressed Joint Session of the US Congress. In 2002 and 2003, he met with George Bush at the UN General Assembly in New York.Dr Manmohan Singh visit to USAManmohan Singh continued the pragmatic foreign policy that was started by P.V. Narasimha RaoDr Manmohan worked towards fostering stronger ties with the United States. He visited the United States in July 2005 initiating negotiations for the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement.Manmohan Singh's first official state visit to the White House was during the administration of US President Barack Obama. The visit took place in November 2009, and several discussions took place, including on trade and nuclear power.During Manmohan's visit in November, 2009 Obama had said, “Your visit, at this pivotal moment in history, speaks to the opportunity before us -- to build the relationship between our nations, born in the last century, into one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century”He met with President Bush at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 21, 2004. This was his maiden visit to the US. Then he made official visits in July 20, 2005 and September 23, 2008. On his fourth and fifth visit, Manmohan Singh attended the G-20 Economic Summit Meeting.On his seventh visit he attended the Nuclear Security Summit on April 11, 2010. Singh visited US again in September 27, 2013.