On the second leg of his first state visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Washington DC on Wednesday after a busy day in New York. During this leg, he will have bilateral meetings with President Joe Biden and address a joint session of the US Congress.
In Washington, he visited the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia, and met Jill Biden, the US First Lady. Later that day, he met US Vice President Joe Biden, who provided him with a special supper.
Modi travelled from New York, where he presided over a historic gathering of UN representatives, diplomats, and notable individuals to celebrate the 9th International Day of Yoga earlier in the day. Modi will meet business executives and engage with the Indian community while in Washington. The second leg of Modi’s tour to the US will focus on the following:
1. On Thursday, the prime minister and other dignitaries will attend the state dinner in Washington, DC, at the request of President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The second stage of the official state visit has begun. As PM @narendramodi arrived at the Joint Base Andrews airport in Washington, DC, he was given a formal greeting and guard of respect. The official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, tweeted: “In Washington DC, PM will have bilateral meeting with @POTUS @JoeBiden; address the Joint Session of the US Congress; and connect with CEOs and a cross-section of Indian diaspora.
2. When Modi arrived in Washington, he was welcomed ceremoniously and given a guard of respect at Andrews Air Base. Both nations’ national anthems were performed. “Reached Washington DC. The welcome from the Indian community and Indra Devta’s blessings made the visit all the more memorable.
3. Modi arrived at the hotel where members of the Indian diaspora were waiting for him after leaving the airport. Members of the Indian diaspora braved the rain to greet Modi at Freedom Plaza in Washington. Before Modi’s hotel in Washington, DC, some community members put on cultural performances, such as “Garba” and other traditional dances. “We are overjoyed; this is a special occasion. According to a report by PTI, Kavita, a Kuchipudi dancer from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, stated, “We are very excited and looking forward.” Some diaspora residents were waving Indian flags while wearing vibrant clothing and shouting “Modi-Modi” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai.” Modi briefly spoke with the hotel’s fervent fans and signed autographs for several of them.
4. The First Lady emphasised cooperation between high schools, community colleges, and universities and companies in workforce training and learning initiatives. The First Lady and the Prime Minister will meet students from the US and India who are gaining knowledge necessary to excel in fields crucial to the economy of the two nations during their visit. “Investing in young people, who are our future, is necessary if we want to have robust economies. We have to make sure they get the chances they deserve,” she stated.
5. In addition, PM Modi suggested that India and the US consider initiating a “Teachers Exchange Programme between India and the US” during his speech at the National Science Foundation in Virginia. He spoke with some of the kids present and predicted that the relationship between the US and India will be “inclusive” and a “sustainable growth engine.” “I am thrilled that I had the chance to meet such young and talented kids as soon as I came in Washington, DC. It is unique for me since India and the National Science Foundation are working together on many initiatives, he added.
6. PM Modi arrived in Washington, DC, and was welcomed by Sanjay Mehrotra, president and CEO of Micron Technology. He also got to know H. Lawrence Culp Jr., the CEO of General Electric.
7. During a media preview before the State dinner, First Lady Jill Biden revealed the specifics of the meals that Modi will receive. On the menu are items like Grilled Corn Kernel Salad and Marinated Millet.
8. On Wednesday morning, PM Modi presided over the International Yoga Day ceremony at the UN’s New York headquarters. The programme set a new Guinness World Record by bringing together 135 different countries to do yoga at once. The previous record of 114 nationalities was surpassed.
9. Before leaving New York, Prime Minister Modi said that the “special invitation” for a state visit from President Biden and the First Lady was evidence of the strength and vitality of the alliance between the two democracies. Since Biden’s previous trip to the US in September 2021, Modi and Biden have had multiple opportunities to interact. According to Modi, “this visit will be a chance to enrich the depth and diversity of our partnership.”
10. According to Modi, his meetings with President Biden and other top US officials would provide him the chance to strengthen bilateral relations as well as multilateral collaboration in organisations like the G20, Quad, and IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity). Modi said that the US Congress has always shown steadfast bipartisan support for India-US relations and that, at the request of the Congressional leadership, he would speak before a joint session of the US Congress during his visit. “Building trust between our nations has benefited greatly from strong people-to-people ties. I’m excited to get to know the lively Indian-American community, which embodies the greatest aspects of both of our civilizations, he remarked.
