US to seize Modi visit to build reliable, resilient partnership

**Washington:**As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew into the US Friday for a landmark visit, officials said they were looking to “seize the opportunity” to “reinvigorate” their strategic partnership and also elevate and extend its depth and breadth.

Modi’s interactions with President Barack Obama would provide the two leaders an opportunity to set forth their vision for this “defining partnership of the 21st century”, senior administration officials said in a teleconference preview.

As Modi flew into New York to start what he himself has called “a new chapter in our strategic partnership”, US officials said this was a “historic and pivotal moment” in the history of the two greatest democratic nations.

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Obama and First Lady Michele Obama were “very excited and pleased” to welcome Modi, who for nearly a decade had been shunned by the US for his alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, to Washington and the White House.

The visit, they said, also comes in the context of Modi’s sweeping “victory in India’s historic elections and with a significant mandate from the people of India and a mandate for reform”.

At their interactions at a private dinner on September 29 and bilateral summit meeting the next day, the two leaders will discuss the ways in which the US can play a “strong supportive role in the Prime Minister’s objectives”, the officials said.

“We are looking to seize the opportunity” presented by Modi’s visit to “reinvigorate this strategic partnership and also to elevate and extend the depth and breadth of the work that we are doing on issues of mutual interest”.

The US “strongly supports a prosperous India that plays an important role on the global stage”, officials said, and the Modi visit provides an “opportunity for the two leaders to set forth the vision for its defining partnership of the 21st century”.

“This partnership is not just for the benefit of our nations, but also for the benefit of the world broadly”, officials said, noting that over the last 15 years “we have seen a profound transformation in India-US relationship”.

Almost 40 working groups are dealing with issues of mutual interest and the US sees “a tremendous opportunity for the summit to realise the full promise of that relationship in the years ahead”.

The level of US excitement was exemplified by the significant number and seniority of recent cabinet level visits to New Delhi, officials said, referring to the visits of Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.

The Obama administration was looking forward to welcoming Modi to Washington “as we continue to develop a reliable and resilient partnership that goes to add to both international security and stability”, officials said.

Building bridges with Modi since his sweeping election victory, Obama invited him to visit Washington even before he was sworn in as prime minister.

And as Obama’s honoured guest Modi will stay at the 190-year-old Blair House, the US president’s guesthouse, across the street from the White House. He will meet Obama for a private dinner on September 29 before their formal summit the next day.

IANS