- Wednesday, May 01, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
IN one of the most highly anticipated bilateral engagements of this year, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will meet US president Joe Biden at the White House on Friday (24).
This will be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after Biden took over as the president eight months ago. Ahead of his departure for Washington DC, Modi said he will review the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with Biden and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
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Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had earlier said that Modi and Biden will review “robust and multifaceted” India-US bilateral ties and hold talks to boost bilateral trade and investment ties between the two democracies. They are also set to discuss the current regional security situation particularly in the context of the Taliban returning to power in Afghanistan in the wake of the western troops’ withdrawal from that country.
The Democratic leader will also host the first-ever in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit on Friday, which will also feature Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga and Australian premier Scott Morrison besides Modi.
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The leaders will review at the meeting progress made since their first virtual meeting held in March and discuss regional issues of shared interest, India’s ministry of external affairs said in a statement on September 14.
“As a part of their ongoing efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, they will review the Quad Vaccine initiative which was announced in March this year. They will also exchange views on contemporary global issues such as critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and infrastructure, cyber security, maritime security, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, climate change and education. The Summit would provide a valuable opportunity for dialogue and interactions among the Leaders, anchored in their shared vision of ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” it said.
Modi and Biden had a telephonic conversation in April when the latter committed that the US and India will work closely in the fight against Covid-19.
Modi was also one of the first world leaders to greet Biden after he became the 46th president of the US. Biden is the third US president who Modi will meet during his seven-year tenure as the Indian prime minister, after Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
