Delaware: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his three-day trip to the United States, he was warmly received by US President Joe Biden with a hug ahead of bilateral talks between the two leaders. Biden and Modi will also participate in the Quad Summit, alongside Japanese leader Fumio Kishida and Australian PM Anthony Albanese later today.
The two leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and China, while identifying new pathways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. The war and Modi's recent visit to Ukraine is expected to figure prominently in the bilateral meeting, according to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
"My meeting with President Biden will allow us to review and identify new pathways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership for the benefit of our people and the global good," Modi had said in his departure statement in New Delhi. Modi was accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Ambassador of India to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
Focus on Russia and China
Earlier, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan indicated that the focus areas between the two leaders would be the ongoing Ukraine conflict and India's stance on Russia and China. He stressed that countries like India should support sovereignty and territorial integrity, and refrain from supplying inputs to Russia's war efforts.
"I will just say that the United States has been clear about our view that Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine flouted every norm and principle of international law, that countries like India should step up and support the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that every country everywhere should refrain from supplying inputs to Russia's war machine for it to be able to continue to prosecute this brutal war," said Sullivan at a news conference.
"And then, with respect to China, you know, they will talk about how they see China's actions in the region where China is headed. And that's not just true in the security domain, but in the economic and technology domain as well," Sullivan added. He further said the focus of the Quad Leaders' Summit will be on a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The US team included Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs T H Jake Sullivan and Ambassador of the US to India Eric Garcetti. The annual Quad summit is being hosted by President Biden in his hometown and is expected to roll a series of new initiatives to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and explore ways to find peaceful solutions to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. The summit is also critical for India as it will be hosting the next Summit. The last Quad Leaders' Summit, the fifth edition, was held in Hiroshima, Japan on May 20 last year.
PM Modi's welcome in US
PM Modi arrived in the US on a three-day visit to “further strengthen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” attend the Quad summit and address a key conclave at the United Nations. He received an enthusiastic welcome from a large group of Indian diaspora at the Philadelphia International Airport.
Modi greeted the group of people dressed in their traditional wear with many of them holding the Indian tri-colour. He walked along the fenced area, signed autographs for some of them and shook hands with some others. He also witnessed a garba performance by enthusiastic Indians at the Hotel du Pont in Delaware.
On September 22, PM Modi will address a community event of the Indian diaspora at the Nassau Colliseum in Uniondale. About 4.4 million Indian Americans/Indian-origin people reside in the US. Persons of Indian origin (3.18 million) constitute the third largest Asian ethnic group in the US. He will also be attending a business roundtable with CEOs of leading US companies in the cutting-edge areas of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, and biotechnology.
From Wilmington, the Prime Minister will travel to New York to attend the Summit of the Future (SOTF) at the United Nations on September 23. The theme of the summit is 'Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow'. A Pact for the Future, with its two annexes, Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations, will be the outcome document of the SoTF.
(with agency input)
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