Prime Minister Modi arrives here on Friday afternoon with a laundry list of issues that he will tackle with his American counterparts besides his first address at the UN general assembly.
The Prime Minister has about 35 engagements from September 26th to the 30th in New York and Washington D.C.
There are bilateral meetings with Sri Lanka and Nepal, crucial meetings with President Obama, also meetings with former President Bill Clinton and possible Presidential candidate in 2016 Hillary Clinton. There are meetings with policy wonks and CEOs and representatives of the Indian community.
Prime Minister Modi begins his public engagement with a heavy dose of symbolism-a visit to the 9/11 memorial on Saturday. Thirty four Indians died in the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Prime Minister will be sending a clear message that India is on board in the war against terrorism and will be a willing partner to eliminate terror groups.
Successive American Presidents have said many times that United States was not at war with Islam. But President Obama's speech at the UNGA on September 24th, was a clear call to arms to the world. A call for a new and broader coalition against Islamic terror groups operating in different war theatres. It isn't clear right now how definite America's goals are and how attainable are they in the near term.
But this time, the U.S. will find unequivocal support in the Indian Prime Minister.
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President Obama's speech was about building international support for the goal of maintaining peace and security that is under threat due to Al Qaeda and the ISIS and its affiliates.
In the next few days, American diplomats will burn phone lines, have corridor meetings and work on U.N. member nations to join America, which they say , is "on the right side of history" to enforce international norms to combat "intolerance, sectarianism and hopelessness that feeds violent extremism in too many parts of the globe.