Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India will be visiting the US for the first time as a state guest. The visit is important for the relationship between the two countries and both sides are working on a document that will determine the future of the partnership. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have invited Modi for a state dinner on June 22. Preparations for the visit are underway in both capitals.
The US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) was announced by President Biden and Prime Minister Modi in May 2022. This initiative is expected to expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between both countries. The two sides are finalising a joint statement that would shape the India-US relationship for decades to come. It is expected to focus on technology, space, and defence, but with a personal touch from Prime Minister Modi, who insists that these areas are linked to the development and welfare of the people.
The outcome document is expected to have a concrete set of deliverables, including things that would accelerate cooperation between industries. It will also highlight the prime minister’s approach to technology for development. The visit is expected to concretise the trust and confidence level between both countries like never seen before. Following the state visit, the partnership is expected to evolve from India being seen as a big market for American companies to a relationship between two reliable partners, especially in the field of the supply chain.
This would be the 11th state dinner that a US President is hosting for an Indian leader, but in the last 75 years, only two other Indian leaders have been given the honour of an official state visit.
