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Prime Minister Narendra Modi left India for his first state visit to the United States of America (USA) on Tuesday. In a statement released before leaving, Modi said that the invitation by US President Joe Biden "is a reflection of the vigour and vitality of the partnership between our democracies".
PM Modi will commence his visit in New York and will celebrate the International Day of Yoga on June 21 at the United Nations headquarters.
Then, he will travel to Washington DC, on June 22. US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host a state dinner in honour of the prime minister the same evening. PM Modi will also address a joint sitting of the US Congress on June 22.
On June 23, PM Modi will be jointly hosted at a luncheon by US Vice President Kamala Harris and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He will then interact with leading chief executive officers (CEOs) of global companies.
He is expected to meet business leaders of 20 top American companies. He is also expected to address a gathering of more than 1,500 diaspora and business leaders who have been invited to the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington.
What is in focus during PM Modi's state visit to the US?
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In his statement, Modi said, "We collaborate closely in science and technology, education, health, defence and security fields. The initiative on critical and emerging technologies has added new dimensions and widened collaboration to defence industrial cooperation, space, telecom, quantum, artificial intelligence and biotech sectors. Our two countries are also collaborating to further our shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific."
According to news agency ANI, PM Modi will meet the top 20 business leaders of US companies, including Mastercard, Accenture, the Coca-Cola Company, Adobe Systems and Visa.
Also Read: PM Modi leaves for his first State visit to US to attend programmes
Also Read: PM Modi leaves for his first State visit to US to attend programmes
According to a report by The Economic Times (ET), the visit is likely to boost the semiconductor supply chain in India. It is among the main goals of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
In March, the two countries had signed a pact on increasing private-sector cooperation in semiconductors and developing an ecosystem for the same.
Moreover, the visit is also expected to bring in new defence industrial technology for India. Earlier, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said that the visit would focus on co-production and on ensuring that the industrial "ecosystem" engages "intensely" with the US.
PM Modi is likely to sign a deal with the US to acquire 31 MQ-9 Reaper weaponised drones.
Moreover, reports have also stated that a deal with General Electric to produce the cutting-edge GE-F414 jet engine in India may also be signed. The engine powers the F/A-18 Hornet, the US Navy's go-to fighter.
Jet engine technology is widely considered the most critical part of aviation technology, and a manufacturing unit will be transformational for Indian airspace.
Notably, the US has never allowed the transfer of this level of technology to any country.
After the US visit, PM Modi will go to Egypt on another state visit and will be hosted by the country's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi between June 24 and 25.
