PM Modi’s U.S. visit Day 1 updates | Modi engages with thought leaders, think-tank strategists, American CEOs in New York

The Ukraine issue will come up in the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden, a White House official said.

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby, however, said to what “degree specifically they will talk about a peace summit or a peace proposal, I cannot say right now”.

In his conversation with Mr. Dalio, the Prime Minister highlighted the reforms undertaken by the government to foster economic growth, including the reduction of compliances and decriminalisation of a large number of legal provisions.

Mr. Modi also invited Mr. Dalio for further investing in India.

Prime Minister Modi has met leading American economist Prof Paul Romer, investor and co-founder of the hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates Ray Dalio, and other eminent thought leaders and exchanged views and briefed them about the reform trajectory of his government to foster economic growth.

Mr. Modi and Prof. Romer held discussions on India’s digital journey, including the use of Aadhar and innovative tools like Digilocker. They also discussed various initiatives being undertaken by India for urban development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US First Lady Jill Biden will visit the National Science Foundation on Wednesday where they would interact with Indian and American students, the White House has said.

A visit to the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia is likely to be the first public engagement of the prime minister, which would be hosted by the First Lady, the White House said on Tuesday.

“The First Lady will highlight career-connected learning and workforce training programmes and partnerships between high schools, community colleges, and universities with employers,” it said in a statement.

“During the visit, the First Lady and the Prime Minister will meet with students from the US and India and participate in a moderated conversation,” it said.

- PTI

The U.S. remains deeply confident in India’s diversification of military equipment and believes that Washington’s proposal for industrial cooperation will further integrate the defence industries of the two countries, the Pentagon has said.

“We welcome Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United States this week. (Defense) Secretary (Lloyd) Austin visited India just two weeks ago and was able to meet with his counterpart (Rajnath Singh) there. What we always will continue to urge our allies and partners around the world is to avoid transactions with Russia,” Pentagon’s Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said, referring to the sanctions imposed on Moscow.

- PTI

Describing the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to America as a “watershed moment” in bilateral ties, U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has said that this week will be one of those moments that can change the course of history as the two democracies get together for peace and prosperity.

In his keynote address to the inaugural INDUS-X conference being organised by the US India Business Council in partnership with the US Department of Defense and India’s Department of Defence Production, Garcetti said on Tuesday, “We’re just getting in the car together and we’re starting this voyage. It’s the elevation of something that has been growing”.

“Let us take this watershed moment that is a game changer and an ecosystem and bring those two things together. Let us see that tonight. This is what it feels like to live through history. This week is one of those moments that can change the course of history. I know our leaders will deliver that, but they’re counting on us to implement that vision together,” he said.

- PTI

June 21, 2023

• 1155 Hrs EST – Arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Washington DC
• 1410 Hrs EST – Skilling for Future Event, National Science Foundation
• 1630 – 1800 Hrs EST – Business Meetings
• 1915 – 2100 Hrs EST – Private Engagement at White House

June 22, 2023

• 1000 Hrs EST – White House Arrival Ceremony
• 1100 – 1200 Hrs EST – Bilateral Meeting, White House
• 1445 – 1710 Hrs EST – Address to the Joint Sitting of U.S. Congress
• 1830 Hrs EST onwards – State Dinner, White House

June 23, 2023

• 1030-1130 Hrs EST – India U.S. Hi-Tech Handshake Event, White House
• 1230 – 1400 Hrs EST – State Department Luncheon
• 1500 -1630 Hrs EST – Business Meetings
• 1715 – 1815 Hrs EST – USISPF Event at Kennedy Centre
• 1830 – 1930 Hrs EST – Community Event at Ronald Reagan Centre
• 2010 Hrs EST – Departure for Cairo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with a group of eminent U.S. academics hailing from diverse fields of agriculture, marketing, engineering, health, science & technology in New York on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Energising India-US knowledge partnership. PM @narendramodi interacted with a group of eminent US academics hailing from diverse fields of agriculture, marketing, engineering, health, science & technology.”

“Talks focused on possibilities of enhancing research collaborations and two-way academic exchanges under India’s New Education Policy. Academics also shared perspectives and experiences from their respective areas of expertise,” he added.

- ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Essayist and Statistician professor Nassim Nicholas Taleb on Tuesday in New York and held bilateral talks.

Taleb, a distinguished professor of Risk Engineering at New York University’s School of Engineering, presented his own book titled “Skin in the Game” as a gift to PM Modi.

Later on, the Prime Minister also held bilateral discussions with Author and Academic Professor Robert Thurman, in New York.

Prof. Thurman, renowned for being the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West, also holds the esteemed positions of co-founder and president of Tibet House in New York.

- ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met prominent U.S. personalities from different walks of life, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk who asserted that India has more promise than any other large country and that he is incredibly excited about its future.

Mr. Musk told reporters after meeting PM Modi that Twitter, the social media giant he owns, does not have a choice but to follow the local government. Or it will get shut down, he said when asked about the company’s former owner and CEO Jack Dorsey’s recent allegation against the Indian government.

India like the U.S. is a vibrant democracy and the two nations are going to continue to work on their bilateral relationship, the White House said amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit.

India will be a critical strategic partner for the U.S. in the coming decades, the White House said and asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit to the country will affirm the deep and close partnership between the two nations.

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications (NSCCSC) John Kirby on Tuesday told a press conference here: “India will be a critical strategic partner for the United States in the coming decades.” India’s growing commitment to playing a more “engaged international role, including in the Indo-Pacific Quad, demonstrates a new and growing willingness to join the United States to protect and advance a shared vision of a free, open, and rules-based global order”, he said. - PTI

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he had a “very good” conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York on Tuesday evening, and that the maker of electric vehicles will try to be in India “as soon as humanly possible.”

“It was excellent and a very good conversation,” Mr. Musk told reporters when asked about his meeting with PM Modi, adding he planned to visit India next year. - Reuters

More than 70 American Senators and Representatives have written to U.S. President Joe Biden on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Washington DC for a state visit, asking Mr. Biden to raise concerns around democratic norms and human rights in India with Mr. Modi.

Expected over the next few days are deliverables in global health cooperation, the fight against climate change, defence cooperation, emerging technology and space and in the area of people to people exchanges.

The tangible outcomes of the visit are centred around the Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET), launched by the National Security Advisers of both countries in early 2023, to enhance and provide a framework for defence-industrial cooperation between India and the U.S.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a unique yoga session on Wednesday in a historic celebration to commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga at the UN Headquarters here that will see participation from top UN officials, envoys from across and the world and prominent individuals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New York in the early afternoon of June 20 on his first State visit to the United States. The Prime Minister is scheduled to lead the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations on Wednesday before flying to Washington DC for the core of his state visit.

“Landed in New York City. Looking forward to the programmes here including interaction with thought leaders and the Yoga Day programme on June 21,” Mr. Modi tweeted.

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk will directly brief PM Narendra Modi on plans to set up a manufacturing base in India, a source with direct knowledge said.

The meeting, the first at a high level to discuss the expansion, will take place on Tuesday during Mr. Modi’s state visit to the United States, said the source, who declined to be named as the discussions will be private.

Executives of the U.S. automaker visited India and held talks with Indian bureaucrats and ministers last month on establishing a manufacturing base for cars, and also to make batteries in India.

Mr. Musk will discuss investment plans and outlook with Mr. Modi, the source said, describing the planned discussion as a “high-level meeting about India’s economic potential”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden during their talks are expected to touch on five broad areas of significance – healthcare, technology, renewable energy, education and defence – which would be reflected in the joint statement, India’s envoy to the U.S. has said.

Mr. Modi has arrived in New York and will lead the 9th International Yoga Day celebrations at the UN headquarters on June 21.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New York on June 20 on the first leg of his maiden state visit to the U.S. during which he will lead the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations Headquarters and hold bilateral talks with President Joe Biden in Washington.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington this week ​will reinforce shared democratic “values”​ between India and the United States. Mr. Modi will begin his visit to New York with meetings with about 24 “CEOs and Thought leaders” that include Tesla founder and Twitter CEO Elon Musk, Astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson and singer Falguni Shah among others.

PM Modi will also lay flowers at a bust of Mahatma Gandhi installed at the United Nations last year.