Last Updated: June 15, 2023, 07:09 AM IST
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 24, 2021. (Reuters File Photo)
Prime Minister Modi has a high-profile and packed schedule, which will include at least a dozen important events
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the United States this month will be a historic and path-breaking visit, Indian Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu said as he underscored the importance of Modi’s first state visit to Washington.
“This is indeed a historic and path-breaking visit. I use these terminologies by fully looking into them. You will see both on the substantive side and on the ceremonial side, that it will be historic,” Ambassador Sandhu told ANI ahead of a much-anticipated visit.
The prime minister has a high-profile and packed schedule, which includes at least a dozen important events and possible meetings with top American CEOs as well as some prominent members of the US Congress.
#WATCH | Indian Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu speaks on the upcoming state visit of PM Narendra Modi to US“This is indeed a historic and path-breaking visit. I use these terminologies by fully looking into them. You will see both on the substantive side & on the… pic.twitter.com/Mer8LUWE4y
— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2023
Speaking to ANI, the Indian envoy to the US said there are five broad areas that will be clearly covered during PM MidI’s trip.
“One of course is defence and strategic cooperation, which will be adequately reflected. Second is healthcare partnership and different aspects of that. Third will be technology and which is correlated with digital startup, innovation, all interlinked. Fourth will be environment, energy, renewables, and finally, knowledge and education,” he said.
Top officials from India and US have been holding key meetings ahead of PM Modi’s US visit.
On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan with a focus on preparing for Modi’s upcoming state visit.
The top Biden administration official arrived here on Tuesday on a two-day visit for talks with NSA Ajit Doval, Jaishankar and some other senior Indian officials ahead of Modi’s trip.
NSA Doval and Sullivan on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious roadmap for Indo-US collaboration in seven specific high-technology areas, including semiconductors, next-generation telecommunication, artificial intelligence and defence.
Sullivan, referring to Modi’s visit to Washington, said both sides are looking at “deliverables” to address issues that have stood in the way of maximising the full potential of cooperation between the two sides.
In New Delhi, Sullivan also said that the United States is set to remove obstacles that prevent smoother trade with India in critical areas such as defence and high technology.
Washington sees New Delhi as a vital partner in its efforts to push back against China’s expanding influence worldwide, even though the two democracies differ on how to deal with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Last month, Reuters reported that the Biden administration is poised to sign off on a deal that would allow General Electric Co to produce jet engines powering Indian military aircraft in that country.
Read More: US, India to Seal Groundbreaking Jet Engine Deal During PM Modi’s State Visit
Another report said the Biden administration is pushing New Delhi to cut through its own red tape and advance a deal for dozens of U.S.-made armed drones.
The report added that India has long expressed interest in buying large armed drones from the United States.
However, bureaucratic stumbling blocks have hampered a hoped-for deal for SeaGuardian drones that could be worth USD 2 billion to USD 3 billion for years.
(With agency inputs)
