Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a state visit to United States in June for the first time in nine years. The White House has announced that President Joe Biden will host Prime Minister Modi for an official state visit to the US, which will include a state dinner on June 22.
“The visit will strengthen our two countries’ shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific and our shared resolve to elevate our strategic technology partnership, including in defence, clean energy and space,” the White House said.
In a statement on PM Modi’s first state visit to US after Biden became President, the Ministry of External Affairs said, Modi and Biden will also explore ways to strengthen India-US collaboration in pluri-lateral and multilateral fora, including in the G20.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an Official State Visit to the United States, which will include a state dinner, on June 22, the White House has announced.
What is a State Visit?
PM Modi is scheduled to make his first state visit to the US, which is considered the highest expression of friendly bilateral ties between the two democracies. State visits are led by foreign heads of state acting in their sovereign capacity and are the highest rank in terms of diplomatic protocol.
A state visit requires a couple of days and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to address a joint session of the US Congress and a state dinner at the White House.
PM Modi last visited Washington in September 2021 for the first in-person Quad Leaders Summit where he also had a bilateral meeting with President Biden. Although PM Modi has visited the US seven times since being elected, none of those visits were considered official state visits, but rather official or working visits, with most of them coinciding with his trips to the UN in New York.
PM Modi’s upcoming visit marks the first official state visit by an Indian Prime Minister since Manmohan Singh’s visit in November 2009.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the visit will underscore the growing importance of the strategic partnership between India and the US as the two nations collaborate across numerous sectors. “The leaders will have the opportunity to review strong bilateral cooperation in various areas of mutual interest, including technology, trade, industry, education, research, clean energy, defence, security, healthcare, and deepening people-to-people connections,” an official statement read.
Are All Visits by Foriegn Leader a State Visit?
No, not all visits by foreign leaders State visits in the US. According to Satow’s Diplomatic Practice (1917), State visits can only occur on the invitation of the US president, while official visits are usually made by the chief of government of a foreign state. A state banquet is held in honor of the visiting head of state, along with official public ceremonies, during their four-day stay in Washington.
US President Biden had extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi for a State visit in February. The dates were not announced as the Prime Minister has packed domestic and international commitments along with the G20 summit.
The US Department of State website describes PM Modi’s previous visits as a “working visit” (2014), “working lunch” (2016), “official working visit” (2017), and his 2019 visit as “participated in a rally in Houston, Texas,” according to an Indian Express article.
PM Modi’s US State Visit: Eye on China, Ukraine Conflict
The White House on Thursday in a statement said US President Biden believes that America’s relationship with India is important and needs to be built. “This is a president who has had decades of experience in leader-to-leader relationships. This is an important relationship as we speak about the Indo-Pacific, as we talk about how to move forward in that region,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One as Biden headed to New York.
As China continues to increase its military presence in the Indo-Pacific region, the US, India, and other world powers have emphasized the importance of maintaining a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. China’s claim to almost all of the disputed South China Sea is disputed by Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam, and has led to the construction of artificial islands and military installations by Beijing. Additionally, China has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea. China and its diplomats have criticised the Indo-Pacific concept from the outset, asserting that it is aimed at containing Beijing.
Speaking on “clear differences” between the US and India when it comes to Russia aggression and Ukraine conflict, the official said, “As we do with other nations around the world, we regularly engage with Indian government officials at senior levels on human rights concerns, including freedom of religion or belief. That is something that the president regularly does. We encourage all countries to uphold their human rights obligations, and commitments, and to work towards building inclusive societies.”
Others have viewed the State Visit is a big diplomatic gesture for the United States. “India was last honoured with a State Visit in 2009. That PM Modi is being honoured with only the third State Visit of the Biden Administration shows the respect and affection the American people have for a rising India,” Atul Keshap, the president of the US-India Business Council told PTI.
In response to China’s growing economic and military power, the US has strengthened its partnership with India to counter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific and South Pacific regions. “The US recognizes the strategic importance of supporting India’s global rise. We see this in the Quad and in India’s Presidency of the G-20. This represents a larger vision of a cohesive US-Indo Pacific strategy that requires both countries to come closer together and overcome longstanding obstacles,” a person familiar with the matter told the news agency.
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