Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at Philadelphia International Airport on Saturday morning, marking the beginning of his three-day visit to the United States. His first stop will be Delaware, where he is set to engage in a high-profile bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden, followed by the annual Quad Summit.
Philadelphia, known for its historical significance as the site of the First and Second Continental Congresses and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, served as the Prime Minister’s entry point to the US.
In his departure statement, PM Modi expressed enthusiasm for the Quad Summit, which will bring together key leaders from the Indo-Pacific region: US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The Quad, a strategic forum, has become a critical alliance aimed at promoting peace, progress, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
President Biden, in a post on X, welcomed the Quad leaders: “Today, I’ll welcome Prime Ministers Albanese, Modi, and Kishida to my home: Delaware. These leaders aren’t just essential to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific – they’re friends of mine and friends of our nation. I look forward to all we’ll accomplish in the Summit ahead.”
Ahead of the summit, PM Modi will meet President Biden for a bilateral discussion aimed at deepening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. This partnership spans various fields, driven by shared democratic values, strategic interests, and robust people-to-people ties.
One of the key areas of focus is defense cooperation, which was renewed for a decade in 2015 and elevated with India’s designation as a Major Defense Partner (MDP) by the US in 2016. Additionally, India was granted Tier-1 status under the US Department of Commerce’s Strategic Trade Authorization License exception in 2018.
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $190.1 billion in 2023, making the US India’s largest trading partner.
Following the bilateral talks, PM Modi will attend the Quad Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, President Biden’s hometown. The sixth edition of the summit will focus on regional security and the Quad’s shared commitment to an open, free, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The summit holds added significance for India, as it is set to host the next Quad Summit.
The leaders will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation, with the last summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, in May 2023, where the Quad released the “Quad Leaders’ Vision Statement” outlining their commitment to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
After Delaware, PM Modi will travel to Uniondale, New York, on September 22 to address the Indian diaspora at the Nassau Coliseum. The US is home to 4.4 million Indian-origin individuals, with 3.18 million of them constituting the third-largest Asian ethnic group in the country.
During his US visit, PM Modi will also engage in a business roundtable with CEOs from leading American companies specializing in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, and biotechnology.
The visit will conclude on September 23, when PM Modi will attend the Summit of the Future (SoTF) at the United Nations. The summit, under the theme ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow,’ is a key milestone in the UN’s journey toward its 80th anniversary in 2025.
The summit’s outcome document, A Pact for the Future, will address pressing global challenges, including health, energy security, climate change, and economic inequalities.
(Inputs from ANI)