Elisha Pulivarti from Washington DC
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three day state visit to the US began with a bang in New York and Washington DC as large number of Indian diaspora gathered to welcome him. He started off his tour on June 21, Wednesday – morning with a Yoga show at the UN headquarters in New York and concluded with a private dinner with President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr Jill Biden at White House.
On June 22, Thursday, morning PM Modi returned to a ceremonial state welcome at White House as Bidens received him formally with a 21 gun salute. Modi is the first Indian PM to pay a state visit to the US and get 21 gun salute at White House, which is usually reserved for America’s traditional allies. Modi will address the joint session of US congress on June 22 (evening in India).
Already, PM Modi had an in-depth meeting with two dozen eminent persons from the US including world’s richest entrepreneur Elan Musk and some Noble laureates on Wednesday. If Modi began his visit with Yoga day and garlanding Mahatma Gandhi statue at UN headquarters, he carried on his day with talks on military deals.
Arms with Tech transfer
PM Modi would be seeing not just some defence deals, but also transfer of technology this time. The visit is expected to give India access to advanced technologies the United States rarely share with on-allies. The transfer signifies a new bond between the two nations. It’s turning point for ties between the United States and India.
With deeper defense cooperation and improved trade and technologies focus of talks with President Joseph R. Biden, India will purchasing of 31 armed, high altitude, long endurance MQ-9B sea and sky Guardian Drones and weapons. India to acquire F-414 Engines and deterrence with MQ-9B drones.
And cooperation in semi conductors, cyberspace, aerospace, Strategic infrastructure and communication, commercial space projects, Quantum computing and use of artificial intelligence will also Be discussed, a senior official said. The deals will create more jobs in both the US and India, in defence sector in the coming days.
Biden calls Xi, a dictator
As if to please Indian PM Modi, President Biden called Chinese president Xi Jinping on Wednesday. This evoked strong protest from the Chinese foreign ministry. Biden must have said this about Xi, apparently to calm off Indians who are not happy with US secretary of state Antony Blinken’s recent tour of China and meeting with Xi Jinping.
(Elisha Pulivarti is CEO of US India SME Council, Washington DC and regularly writes for Excel India from the US)
