On Tuesday, Indian PM Narendra Modi began his five-day, two-nation tour to the US and Egypt. In his landmark visit to the US, Modi is expected to discuss cooperation in semiconductors, cyberspace, aerospace, and artificial intelligence. India and the US could also finalise a deal on jet-engine manufacturing in India.
As PM @narendramodi is en route to USA, a peek into various facets of the consequential 🇮🇳-🇺🇸 relationship. pic.twitter.com/TDt3yjvWat
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) June 20, 2023
Visit to the US
At a special briefing on the PM’s tour, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra outlined Modi’s planned itinerary.
The Foreign Secretary highlighted the key elements of the US-India relationship ahead of Modi’s visit. Kwatra said that the PM’s visit to the US would be significant and rich in form and substance.
He said that the political connection at the leadership level forms a significant part of the relationship. Kwatra said trade and investment partnerships between the two countries and the technology component focusing on critical and emerging technologies would be discussed when the PM is in the US.
Furthermore, Kwatra noted that defence cooperation is a critical pillar of engagement between the two countries and the visit will discuss a defence-industrial cooperation roadmap focused on co-production and co-development.
In the departure statement before his visit to the US, Modi said, “India-US ties are multifaceted, with deepening engagements across sectors.” “The initiative on Critical & Emerging Technologies has added new dimensions and widened collaboration to defence industrial cooperation, space, telecom, quantum [computing], Artificial Intelligence and biotech sectors,” the PM stated. “I am confident that my visit to the US will reinforce our ties based on shared values of democracy, diversity and freedom,” Modi commented before departing.
The PM will attend the International Day of Yoga celebration at the UN headquarters in New York on the first day of his landmark visit. He will be accorded a ceremonial welcome on the second day of his visit and will address a joint session of the US Congress. After this, he will attend the ceremonial state dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden and the First Lady, Jill Biden.
On the third day of his visit, the Indian PM will interact with select CEOs and attend a State Luncheon hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. His visit to the US will conclude with an interaction with the Indian diaspora.
VIDEO | PM Modi emplaned for the US in the morning. From the US, he will head to Egypt before returning to India.#PMModiUSVisit pic.twitter.com/XDfQHyeOrq
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 20, 2023
PM Modi in Egypt
The Indian PM will visit Egypt from 24 to 25 June. This is the first official bilateral visit to Egypt by an Indian PM since 1997. Modi will meet the India unit, a select group of ministers constituted after Abdul Fattah El Sisi visited India as chief guest on Republic Day, during his visit.
Kwatra highlighted that the PM would visit the 11th-century Al-Hakim Mosque and Heliopolis war grave cemetery during his visit. He will also conduct bilateral talks with El Sisi and sign MOUs and agreements. Highlighting the critical elements in the Egypt-India relationship, Kwatra said that political exchanges, trade, and economic engagement is essential to the two countries.
Before embarking on his visit, Modi commented, “I look forward to my discussions with President Sisi and senior members of the Egyptian Government to impart further momentum to our civilisational and multifaceted partnership.”