NEW DELHI, Sept 22: The prime minister Narendra Modi, who left for a four-day visit to the United States on Wednesday at the invitation of the US president Joe Biden, said his trip would be an occasion to strengthen the Indo-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and consolidate ties with Australia and Japan.
In a statement just before his departure, Modi said “My visit to the U.S. would be an occasion to strengthen the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the USA, consolidate relations with our strategic partners – Japan and Australia — and to take forward our collaboration on important global issues.”
He said he would conclude his visit with an address at the United Nations General Assembly focussing on the pressing global challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to combat terrorism, climate change and other important issues.
Modi emplaned on Wednesday morning for the US where he will take part in a wide range of programmes.
“I will be visiting the USA from 22-25 September. During my visit, I will review the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with President Biden and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,” the Prime Minister said. “I am also looking forward to meeting vice-president Kamala Harris to explore opportunities for cooperation between our two nations particularly in the area of science and technology,” he said.
Modi said he would participate in the first in-person Quad leaders’ summit along with president Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Premier Yoshihide Suga. The Summit provides an opportunity to take stock of the outcomes of the Quad leaders’ Virtual Summit in March this year and identify priorities for future engagements based on our shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region, he said.
“I will also meet Prime Minister Morrison of Australia and Prime Minister Suga of Japan to take stock of the strong bilateral relations with their respective countries and continue our useful exchanges on regional and global issues,” Modi said.
The Afghan crisis and its implications, China’s growing assertiveness, ways to stem radicalism and cross-border terrorism and further expansion of India-US global partnership are expected to be the central focus of the first in-person meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Biden in Washington on September 24.
At a media briefing on the Prime Minister’s visit to the U.S., Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Tuesday said the developments in Afghanistan would be extensively discussed in the bilateral talks between Modi and Biden and the Indian side would convey that Washington needs to continue focus on that country.
Shringla said Modi would also participate in the COVID-19 global summit being hosted by President Biden. After concluding his engagements in Washington, Modi would travel to New York on the evening of September 24 and address the 76th session of the UN General Assembly the next day.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet a number of top executives of major American companies.
Modi is accompanied by a high-level delegation including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
(Manas Dasgupta)