On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on his first historic State visit to the United States. Before his departure, PM Modi tweeted about attending programmes in New York City and Washington DC during his visit to the USA.
The upcoming itinerary of Prime Minister Modi involves various programs such as the Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations Headquarters, discussions with President Joe Biden, an address to the Joint Session of the U.S. Congress, and much more.
The invitation was extended by U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, and the visit will commence in New York, where the Prime Minister will lead the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations Headquarters on June 21. Subsequently, PM Modi will travel to Washington DC, to receive a ceremonial welcome at the White House on June 22 and hold a high-level dialogue with President Biden.
According to a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), President Joseph Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to host a State Dinner in honour of the Prime Minister on the same evening. In addition, the Prime Minister will be addressing a Joint Sitting of the U.S. Congress on June 22.
The House of Representatives and the Senate have invited the Prime Minister to deliver this historic speech. This gesture of bipartisanship demonstrates the respect and support that Prime Minister Modi commands in the United States. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to become the first leader of the country to address the United States Congress twice.
A letter of invitation from the President and First Lady hailed Modi’s previous historic address to the Congress seven years ago, which had solidified the bond between the two nations. The White House emphasized that this occasion would reaffirm the deep and close partnership between the U.S. and India. Modi expressed gratitude for the privilege and eagerly anticipated delivering his address to the joint session.
In his message, Modi underscored his pride in establishing a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the U.S., steeped in democratic principles, strong people-to-people ties, and an unwavering dedication to global peace and prosperity. On June 23, the Prime Minister is set to attend a luncheon jointly hosted by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Aside from official engagements, the Prime Minister has planned various curated meetings with prominent CEOs, professionals, and other stakeholders within the diaspora community. The itinerary indicates he will convene with executives from 20 major American companies.
Moreover, he plans to deliver a speech to a gathering of over 1,500 diaspora and business leaders invited to the John F Kennedy Center in Washington. According to two individuals familiar with the event and its logistics, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with the top 20 business leaders of U.S. companies such as Mastercard, Accenture, the Coca-Cola Company, Adobe Systems, and Visa.
The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a business advocacy group led by Dr. Mukesh Aghi, is organizing an event titled ‘We The People: Celebrating the U.S.-India Partnership’ on Friday, June 23, 2023, in Washington D.C. The Prime Minister’s address will be followed by a reception at the Hall of Nations Terrace (Kennedy Center).
The event will witness the presence of prominent personalities such as Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe Systems; Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture; Ryan Mclnerney, CEO of Visa Inc; Michael Miebach, CEO of Mastercard; and James Quincey, CEO of Coke Cola.
