This will be PM Modi’s first overseas visit beyond the neighbourhood since the COVID-19 pandemic

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for the US on a four-day (September 22 to 25) visit beginning from Wednesday---to hold bilateral meetings with the US leadership, participate in the QUAD Leadership Summit, address at the UN General Assembly and interact with business leaders.

One of the highlights of the meeting is the PM Modi’s meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on September 24, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla at a special press briefing on Tuesday

“The Prime Minister and President Biden will review the robust and multifaceted India-US bilateral relationship. They will also discuss how the comprehensive strategic global partnership between our two countries can be enriched further,” he said.

“The two leaders are expected to discuss how to bolster bilateral trade and investment ties, strengthen Defence and Security collaboration, boost the clean strategic clean energy partnership, explore new avenues and emerging technologies, including through R&D, innovation and industry linkages,” the Foreign Secretary noted.

A high level delegation consisting of the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval and senior officials will accompany PM Modi on the visit to the US from September 22 to 25.

The Foreign Secretary said the bilateral meeting will also feature the current regional security situation following recent developments in Afghanistan and India’s stake as a neighbour and a long standing and preferred development partner of the people of the land locked country.

“In this context, we would undoubtedly discuss the need to stem radicalism, extremism, cross border terrorism, and the dismantling of global terrorist networks. They will also discuss the reform of the multilateral system including the UN Security Council,” Shringla stated.

“It is expected that the prime minister will highlight the importance of people to people ties between the two nations and the potential of enhancing these ties further, especially through higher education, linkages and mobility,” Shringla added.

The Prime Minister's bilateral engagements also include a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris, this will be the Prime Minister's first formal interaction with the Vice President, the Foreign Secretary said. This meeting will take place on September 23.

On the same day, PM Modi would be having some business level interactions with the objective of strengthening two-way trade and investments.

“The US is a very large investor in India, a lot of companies that have not only invested significantly in India, but also have the potential to invest either in terms of new investments or expand their existing investments in India,” he noted.

In that context, the Prime minister will have few meetings with select CEOs of the US’ leading companies, Shringla said.

As regarding the first in-person QUAD summit, the Foreign Secretary said QUAD Leaders Summit would be held on September 24 at the White House during which PM Modi will join Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Suga and President Biden.

“The four leaders will share views and perspectives on the regional situation and the emerging challenges, including in South Asia and the Indo Pacific region,” Shringla said.

He added that the leaders also would deliberate on how to work together to contain Covid-19 and evolve a common approach to emerging technologies and a means of addressing climate change.

“The leaders will take stock of progress made since the March summit, especially in the COVID-19 vaccine partnership, they will identify new areas of cooperation that will reinforce the positive and constructive agenda of the port, including contemporary areas that will benefit the indo Pacific region as a whole,” the Foreign Secretary noted.

On the conclusion of his programme in Washington, DC, the Prime Minister will travel to New York where he will go in for the third element of his visit at the UN General Assembly.

On September 25, the Prime Minister will be the first head of state of government to address the United Nations General Assembly at its 76th session, Shringla said.

He maintained that the theme for this year's general debate is ‘Building Resilience through Hope to Recover from COVID-19 Rebuild Sustainability, Respond to the needs of the planet, Respect the rights of people and Revitalise the United Nations’.

The fourth element of the Prime Minister's visit would be bilateral meetings with India’s close partners, Japan and Australia on the sidelines of UNGA, the Foreign Secretary said.

He stated that the Prime Minister will meet Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

According to Shringla, the Prime Minister's visit with the compact programme will bolster India's key strategic bilateral partnership with the United States and its close partners Australia and Japan.

It will also consolidate the QUAD as a force for global good and will give the Prime Minister an opportunity to share his vision at the multilateral arena, he said.

The upcoming visit with the Prime Minister will not only enhance peace, depth and diversity of our bilateral relations, it would also give an opportunity to further strengthen our comprehensive global strategic partnership on issues of mutual concern, the Foreign Secretary added.