Modi in US: Why PM's sixth visit to the US is even more significant than past trips

All his bags are packed and he’s ready to go. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set for his US visit, which will see the leader firming up India’s ties with Washington and also pave the way for closer alignment between the two countries. Modi will jet off to the US on 20 June at the behest of US president Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The prime minister’s US visit will commence in New York at the United Nations headquarters where he will lead the International Day of Yoga Celebrations on 21 June. Modi will then travel to Washington the next day on a State Visit. The Indian leader will also address the Joint Session of the Congress on 22 June. In addition to the official engagements, Modi is scheduled to have several curated interactions with CEOs, professionals and other stakeholders. He will also meet members of the Indian diaspora, the external affairs ministry said. Also read: Yoga, meal with the Bidens, meet with CEOs: PM Modi’s packed days during US visit Modi will subsequently travel to Cairo to pay a s tate Visit to Egypt at the invitation of President Sisi. The invitation was extended to Modi in January when Sisi attended the Republic Day celebrations as chief guest. This isn’t Modi’s first visit to the US. In fact, since coming to power in 2014, he has visited the ‘Land of the Free’ five times – meeting three presidents: Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. So, what makes this visit special and even more significant? We give you the answer.

A state visit After Manmohan Singh in November 2009, this is the first time that an Indian leader is being invited for a State Visit to the United States. For the uninitiated, a s tate visit is rare, exceptional and prestigious. A state visit is seen as the highest form of expression of friendly bilateral ties. According to US’ diplomatic policy, the president can host no more than one leader from any nation once every four years. Furthermore, a state visit is considered the highest ranked visit, as opposed to official visit, official working visit or guest of the government visit. Modi’s previous visits to the US – he has made five of them in his tenure – have not been titled as a state visit. His 2014 visit, his first as prime minister, was classified as a working visit. His 2016 visit, his third bilateral with then US president Barack Obama, was called a working lunch. The following year, Modi once again travelled to Washington, this time for an official working visit. His 2019 visit is described by the US Department of State website as one in which he “participated in a rally in Houston, Texas ”. [caption id=“attachment_12756102” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Graphic: Pranay Bhardwaj[/caption] This time around, Modi’s visit is a state visit with the Biden administration rolling out the red carpet and extending a touch of personal warmth to be with prime minister for multiple events. It has been said that Joe and Jill Biden are hosting PM Modi for a private dinner and conversation the day before the official state dinner. Moreover, the First Lady will also accompany PM Modi for a skilling event. President Biden and the PM will also be together for a technology event. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, said that Modi’s first state visit to the US signifies the “highest level of honour” and it has happened only twice in India’s history. He also added that PM Modi will address a joint session of the US Congress and he is the first Indian prime minister to do it for the second time. The prime minister had earlier addressed the US Congress in 2016.

PM will be on a state visit to the US. State visit means it is the highest level in terms of honour. Only a few people have been given this honour. It is happening for the first time that an Indian PM will address the US Congress for the second time. That's why its importance is… pic.twitter.com/0uj5YwRUi1

— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2023

“No Indian prime minister has addressed it twice. So, it will be the first time. World over also, very few people have done that… Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela. So, there are very few people who have addressed the US Congress twice. That’s why its importance is huge,” said Jaishankar. Foreign minister S Jaishankar also added that the state visit would have “significant outcomes”. When asked what these would be, he said, “What outcomes these will be, I cannot tell that right now”. Biden’s third international guest Besides it being a state visit, Modi’s invitation to Washington assumes more significance as he is only the third world leader to be accorded this honour by the Biden administration. Biden, who won the race to the White House in 2020, has invited only France’s Emmanuel Macron and South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol for a State Visit. It was only December last year that French president Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte visited the White House for the State Visit – to celebrate the historic bond between the two long-time allies and strategise about world affairs like Russia’s war on Ukraine. Later, in April South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol made his way to the White House and was given a warm welcome by the Bidens where they were also seen singing the American hit song, ‘American Pie’.

WATCH: After an impressive performance by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Don McLean's ‘American Pie,' at a White House state dinner, the US President Joe Biden went on to present him with a guitar bearing the signature of the writer of the song https://t.co/hUzfOC4Jbb pic.twitter.com/a5ZszA0U2r

— Reuters (@Reuters) April 30, 2023

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The visit will also see Prime Minister Modi being accorded a 21-gun salute at the South Lawn of the White House. [caption id=“attachment_12756122” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Indian community members hold posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Unity rally, ahead of his visit to the US, in Washington. PTI[/caption] Beyond the symbolism Modi being invited for a state visit to the US also signifies the growing bonhomie between not only the two leaders but also the two countries. America now sees India as a valuable ally – not only from a geopolitical view but also from an economic standpoint. **Also read: Deals on drones and jets: How India-US defence ties are flourishing under PM Modi** The US has identified China as a competitor, as a rival. Hence, in order to shore up its strength, America needs India. In recent months, Biden has reached out to nations in Asia – South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol, Philippines’ Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Seen from this perspective, America needs India as a counter to China and hence, the State Visit assumes greater importance. Moreover, the US needs the talent from India. There are almost 200,000 Indian students in the United States, and Indian Americans are increasingly very, very important, both politically as well as in the economic arena. The visit is also important for India, as it is expected to ink two major defence deals – one for the Predator drones and another to co-produce fighter jet engines . And ahead of his State Visit, there’s a Modi craze in America; according to news agency PTI, hundreds of Indian-Americans have gathered across iconic US locations to welcome the prime minister. On Sunday, a few hundred Indian Americans from in and around the Washington DC area gathered near the National Monument to convey a message of unity and tell the prime minister that they are eagerly waiting for his arrival in the city. Chanting slogans of Modi Modi and India-US friendship, Indian Americans walked in a procession for over an hour towards the historic Lincoln Memorial where the participants busted into an impromptu dance. Similar scenes were visible at many iconic locations in the United States like Times Square in New York and Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.