PM Modi US Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora as he kick-started his high-level visit to the United States on Saturday (September 21). The Indian PM is expected to meet US President Joe Biden for a bilateral meeting before he attends the Quad Leaders Summit alongside Australian leader Anthony Albanese and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived for a three-day visit to the United States at the Philadelphia International Airport on Saturday. He will also hold separate bilateral meetings with US President Joe Biden and other world leaders on the margins of the Quad summit.
Even before he arrived at the Philadelphia International Airport, a large gathering of the Indian community had been eagerly anticipating his arrival. "It is a privilege to have Modi ji in our state. We are honoured. Thank you Modi ji for everything you have done for India and for bringing us up to recognition on the world stage," said a diaspora member to news agency ANI.
"An energetic welcome in Philadelphia! Our diaspora’s blessings are greatly cherished," the Prime Minister said on X. Before departing for the important US visit, he said that the Quad Summit has emerged as a platform to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. He said he was looking forward to meeting with President Joe Biden and interacting with the Indian diaspora. Modi will also address a gathering of the Indian community and address the UN 'Summit of the Future' at the General Assembly in New York during his visit.
Quad Leaders' Summit 2024
"Today, I am embarking on a three day visit to the United States of America to participate in the Quad Summit being hosted by President Biden in his hometown Wilmington and to address the Summit of the Future at the UN General Assembly in New York. I look forward to joining my colleagues President Biden, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Kishida for the Quad Summit. The forum has emerged as a key group of like-minded countries to work for peace, progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," he said.
"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. I am eagerly looking forward to engaging with the Indian diaspora and important American business leaders, who are the key stakeholders and provide vibrancy to the unique partnership between the largest and the oldest democracies of the world. The Summit of the Future is an opportunity for the global community to chart the road ahead for the betterment of humanity. I will share views of one-sixth of humanity as their stakes in a peaceful and secure future are among the highest in the world," he said.
The first Quad Leaders' Summit was held in virtual format in 2021. The second Quad Leaders' Summit (first in-person) was held in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2021. The third Quad Leaders' Summit was held virtually on March 3, 2022. The fourth Quad Leaders' Summit (second in-person) was hosted by Japan on May 24, 2022. The fifth Quad Leaders' Summit (third in-person) was held in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, 2023. India will host the next Quad Summit in 2025.
PM Modi's full itinerary
September 21: He will begin the US visit with participation in the Quad Summit with leaders of the US, Australia, and Japan.
September 22: PM Modi will address a gathering of the Indian community on 22 September in New York. He will also interact with the CEOs of leading US-based companies to foster greater collaborations between the two countries in the cutting-edge areas of AI, quantum computing, semiconductors and biotechnology. He is also expected to interact with thought leaders and other stakeholders active in the India-US bilateral landscape.
September 23: The Prime Minister will address the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The theme of the Summit is ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’. On the sidelines of the Summit, Prime Minister would be holding bilateral meetings with several world leaders and discuss issues of mutual interest.
