- Wednesday, May 07, 2025
Before arriving in Washington, Modi presided over a momentous event at the UN Headquarters in New York, commemorating the ninth International Day of Yoga.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (21) arrived in Washington DC, marking the second phase of his inaugural state visit to the US. He is scheduled to engage in bilateral discussions with president Joe Biden during his stay in the capital and deliver an address to a joint session of the US Congress.
Before arriving in Washington, Modi presided over a momentous event at the UN Headquarters in New York, commemorating the ninth International Day of Yoga, which created a Guinness World Record in terms of participation of people from most number of nations.
A summary of Modi’s New York visit
On Thursday (22), Modi, who is visiting the US at the invitation of president Biden and first lady Jill Biden, will join the first couple at a state banquet attended by various dignitaries. Modi and Biden have previously met on several occasions since the former’s last official visit to the US in September 2021. Modi expressed that this visit would provide an opportunity to enhance the depth and diversity of the partnership between the two nations.
Modi said his talks with Biden and other senior US leaders, will enable the consolidation of bilateral cooperation, as well as plurilateral collaborations within forums such as the G20, Quad, and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
Recognising the strong bipartisan support from the US Congress for India-US relations, Modi announced that he has been invited to address a joint session of Congress by the Congressional leadership. Stressing on the significance of people-to-people connections in nurturing trust between the countries, Modi expressed his anticipation for meeting the vibrant Indian-American community, which he sees as an embodiment of the best aspects of both societies.
During his stay in Washington, Modi will also engage with business leaders and interact with the Indian community. The focus will be on deepening India-USA ties in key sectors such as trade, commerce, innovation, and technology. The US is India’s largest trade partner in goods and services, and the two countries share close collaborations in science, technology, education, health, defense, and security. Modi highlighted the initiatives on Critical and Emerging Technologies, which have expanded cooperation in sectors including defense industrial collaboration, space, telecom, quantum, artificial intelligence, and biotech sectors
Additionally, Modi emphasised the collaborative efforts between India and the US to promote their shared vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. He expressed confidence that his visit will further strengthen the ties between the two nations, grounded in the common values of democracy, diversity, and freedom. He underscored the importance of standing together to address shared global challenges.
After concluding his visit to the United States, Modi will travel to Egypt at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
