Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accepted the formal invitation from U.S. President Barack Obama that was delivered by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns. After meeting Mr. Burns in Delhi, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement saying he “thanked President Obama for the invitation and looked forward to a result-oriented visit with concrete outcomes that imparts new momentum and energy to India-U.S. strategic partnership”.
Mr. Modi is likely to meet President Obama on September 30 after his visit to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where a number of crucial bilateral meetings are also expected. By inviting Mr. Modi, the U.S. has made an exception to its rule of avoiding bilateral meetings in Washington while the General Assembly is in session. This is a far cry from its policy until recently of having revoked Mr. Modi’s visa over the Gujarat riots.
Preparatory meetings for the summit are already under way, with a slew of senior officials expected in Delhi following Mr. Burns’ visit. On Saturday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Arun Kumar will lead an economic delegation to India., visiting Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad to discuss “growing the U.S.-India commercial relationship,” a U.S. Embassy release said. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected on July 31, followed closely by U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in the second week of August. The non-resident Indian community is expected to accord Mr. Modi a grand welcome in New York, according to
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