 "Once bitten twice shy, US to raise toast with Modi")
While in US, PM Modi is scheduled to meet the political leadership of the US administration and top honchos from more than a dozen American multinationals. In the US administration Modi will be meeting US President Barack Obama, US vice president Joe Biden, US Secretary of State John Kerry, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel and speak John Boehner.
Apart from that, in an unprecedented move, Modi is going to address public gatherings at the Madison Square Garden in New York where he is going to address millions from the Indian-American community. In New York he is also slated to address a large public gathering at the Central Park where he is participating in an event on poverty.
Modi, who left tonight for a four-day visit to the US, will also be addressing General Debate at the 69th UN General Assembly in New York where he is going to pitch for India's permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council and stress for reforms there in order to keep it relevant in current world order.
"I will call for a stronger global commitment and more concerted multilateral action in meeting these challenges. I will urge early adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda with focus on growth, development and elimination of poverty. As we head towards the 70th Session of the UNGA in 2015, I will also stress the urgency of early reforms in the United Nations, to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in dealing with the challenges of the 21st Century," Modi said before departing for US.
He will be also meeting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and other world leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA.
Prime Minister is going to meet the leaders from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal in line with his foreign policy strategy of 'neighbours first.'
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Keeping in mind the trade and investment aspect of India-US ties, Modi is meeting the US industry captains from 17 US multinational giants during his in New York as well as Washington.
"I look forward to meeting business leaders to invite them to participate more actively in India's economic growth and transformation. This is message that I will also convey to the US business community in Washington DC," he said.
On September 29, Modi will be meeting the chairmen and CEO from 11 American companies over breakfast. The high-powered contingent will comprise of Google, AES Corporation, Carlyle Group, Cargill Inc., Citigroup, Merck and Co., Caterpillar, Warburg Pincus, Mastercard, PepsiCo and Hospira Group.
Besides, he will be separately meeting the chief executives individually from six American conglomerates such as Jeff Immelt of General Electric (GE), James McNerney of Boeing, Virginia Rometty of IBM, Henry Kravis of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), Laurence D. Fink of BlackRock and Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs.
Interestingly, Modi will be holding the bilateral meeting with Obama on the last day of his visit on September 30 although both leaders will come face to face for the first time during a private dinner on September 29 to be hosted by Obama at the White House.
On September 30, both the leaders will take a wide range of issues that define the strategic ties between both the democracies. The issues have been broadly categorized under five main areas of trade and investment, energy cooperation, defence and maritime cooperation, science and technology and assistance to third-world countries.
"This visit will go a long way in smoothening the ties but the India-US relationship is very complex. No one can bring the change which firms like GE, IBM and the likes want to happen in India. But with this visit, the mood of US corporations will certainly change with a new government in Delhi. But investors' confidence will come back only when Indian companies like Reliance or the Tatas start investing in the country. Modi can only help in removing corruption and crony capitalism," said former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal.
India and US ties had been undergoing a rough patch since 2010. This is due to several factors ranging from slowdown of talks in implementing the civil nuclear agreement, India's taxation policies, IPR rules and grant of compulsory licensing to Indian pharmaceutical firms.
However, all hell broke loose when an Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade then posted in New York was arrested and strip searched for an alleged visa fraud and making false statements.
But a visible improvement in the ties can been seen with Modi's coming in to power after a landslide victory in May. The US administration, which was almost caught unawares, took the drastic step of ousting its then ambassador to US Nancy J. Powell. Earlier this month it has appointed an Indian American Richard Rahul Verma as its new ambassador to India. Verma is regarded as one of the most influential Indian Americans there.
Among his other engagement, Modi is meeting both Bill and Hillary Clinton for their defining involvement in India. He will be meeting the Mayor and Governor of New York. Additionally, he is also meeting the Governors of Maryland and South Carolina.
India and US have set a bilateral trade target worth $500 billion in goods and services from the present $100 billion. Foreign direct investment from US to India during 2000-2014 stands at $12.27 billion.