Staff Reporter
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five day State visit to United States of America and Egypt from tomorrow June 20. On one of the key components of the US visit will be bilateral defence cooperation. Defence industrial cooperation roadmap will be a key outcome of Mr Modi’s US visit.
Briefing media in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, at the invitation of US President Joseph Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Mr Modi will pay an Official State Visit to USA from 21st to 23rd of this month. He said, the visit will commence in New York, where the Prime Minister will lead the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations Headquarters on Wednesday. The UN General Assembly had adopted a resolution proclaiming June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014.
The Foreign Secretary said, Mr Modi will thereafter travel to Washington D.C., where he will receive a ceremonial welcome at the White House on Thursday and meet President Biden to continue their high-level dialogue. He said, the US President and the First Lady will host a State Dinner in honour of the Prime Minister on Thursday evening. Mr Kwatra said, Mr Modi will address a Joint Sitting of the U.S. Congress on 22nd June.
He said, on Friday, Prime Minister will be jointly hosted at a luncheon by US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Bilnken.
The Foreign Secretary said, Mr Modi is scheduled to have several curated interactions with leading CEOs, professionals, and other stakeholders. He will also meet members of the Indian Diaspora.
He said, the visit is a milestone in the India-US cooperation and it is a very significant and very important visit. Mr Kwatra said, it is visit on which there is a genuine and widespread deep interest in the United States. He said, one of the key components which will be prominently showcased will be bilateral defence cooperation. He added that Defence industrial cooperation roadmap will be a key outcome of Mr Modi’s US visit.
Mr Kwatra said, at the invitation of President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Prime Minister will travel to Cairo to pay a State Visit to Egypt from 24th to 25th of this month. He said this will be Prime Minister’s first visit to Egypt.
The Foreign Secretary said, apart from his talks with President Sisi, Mr Modi will interact with senior dignitaries from the Egyptian Government, some prominent Egyptian personalities, as well as the Indian community in Egypt. He said, Mr Modi will visit 11th century Al-Hakim mosque renovated by the Bohra community. Mr Kwatra said, the Prime Minister will visit Heliopolis War grave Cemetery to pay tributes to Indian soilders who made supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt in World War I.