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Times Square flooded with Modi’s welcome displays

US lawmakers have invited Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress. It will be Modi’s second such address…reports Asian Lite News

Times Square, a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighbourhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City is flooded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures and messages welcoming him to a historic State visit to the US.

The US-India Business Council (USIBC) said that the displays for historic state visit require a historic welcome!

“A historic state visit requires a historic welcome! @USIBC welcomes Shri @narendramodi@PMOIndia to the United States of America with a display of our support for U.S.-India commercial ties and this historic state visit at Times Square, New York. @Nasdaq #ModiInUSA #USIndia,” tweeted USIBC.

Modi arrived in the United States on Tuesday for a state visit that has been projected as a milestone in ties between the two countries that would deepen and diversify their partnership.

Modi has visited the US five times since becoming prime minister in 2014 but his visit this week which runs until Saturday will be his first with the full diplomatic status of a state visit, indicating the strengthening bond between Washington and New Delhi.

The visit is expected to see the two countries expand cooperation in the defence industry and high-tech sectors, with India getting access to critical American technologies that Washington rarely shares with non-allies.

US lawmakers have invited Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress. It will be Modi’s second such address.

Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State on Wednesday (local time) said that the partnership with India holds immense significance as one of the most crucial bilateral relationships for the United States, adding that Washington is looking forward to deepening the relationship during PM Modi’s State visit to the US.

“This (PM Modi’s) visit celebrates the US-India partnership as one of the most important bilateral relationships that we have in the 21st century. This is about our partnership and deepening our relationship with India…This is a State visit and a little different than previous bilateral visits. This isn’t about comparing this visit with any other. What this is about is deepening and broadening and strengthening our relationship with our Indian partners. That is why very much, we’re looking forward to welcoming them today,” said Patel.

After addressing 180 nations on the ninth anniversary of the International Day of Yoga in New York, where participants set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of individuals from different nationalities performing Yoga together, Prime Minister Modi has now arrived in Washington.

Upon arrival at the United Nations and the Freedom Plaza, he received a warm welcome from hundreds of members of the Indian American community. (ANI)

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Tesla coming to India, says Musk after meeting Modi

Musk saying Tesla coming to India

Modi met earlier with Nassim Nicholas Taleb, the nemesis of Musk. The author and thinker who expounds on the quirks of history and how they impact the world…reports Asian Lite News

After hearing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” pitch, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced a change of plans, saying that his electric vehicle and battery company will now come to India “as soon as it is humanly possible”.

Musk told reporters in conversations following his meeting with Modi on Tuesday, “He really cares about India because he’s pushing us to make significant investments in India, which is something that we intend to do and we’re just trying to figure out the right timing.”

It was a change of plans for the mercurial Musk who had earlier refused to consider manufacturing in India unless India lowered tariffs for imported Teslas to be sold in India.

Modi “really wants to do the right thing for India,” he said. Modi wants to make sure that the advantage from investments “accrues to India’s advantage, which is, you know, obviously, that’s the job,” he added. India has more “promise than any large country in the world,” he said.

If Tesla comes to India, it will be following the pattern of companies like Apple diversifying their manufacturing from China because of geopolitical and supply chain issues. Musk gushed about his “fantastic meeting with the Prime Minister” and declared, “I am a fan of Modi.”

He said that Modi had invited him to visit India and that he would next year. Musk added that India has tremendous potential for “the three pillars of sustainable energy future” — a goal of Modi.

These were power generation using solar and wind energy, deploying batteries to store it, and having electric vehicles that run on it, the Tesla CEO said. “The interesting thing you will find is that this is a lower-cost way to go as well,” he added.

Another Musk venture is Starlink which uses low-orbit satellites to provide broadband internet connections. He said that he was “hopefully looking forward” to bringing it to India.

Asked about former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s assertion that the Indian government had asked the company to shut down a large number of accounts, Musk said bluntly that a company “doesn’t have a choice but to obey local governments”.

“If we don’t if we don’t obey local government laws, then we will get shut down. So the best we can do is really to hew close to the law in any given country,” he added. It is impossible for us to do more than that (or) we will be blocked and our people will be arrested, Musk said.

He added that there are “different rules and regulations, different forms of government, so what we’ll do, the best to provide the freest speech that is possible under the law”.

Modi met earlier with Nassim Nicholas Taleb, the nemesis of Musk. The author and thinker who expounds on the quirks of history and how they impact the world.

Taleb and Musk have been engaged in twitterfights, and Taleb took a dig at Musk on his own Twitter: “Elon Musk, while attacking me on Twitter, was next (in line to meet Modi) but I did not run into him.”

After Modi’s meeting with Taleb, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Baghchi tweeted, “PM lauded Prof Taleb for his contribution in bringing complex ideas of risk and fragility in popular conversations. Highlighted India’s growing start-up ecosystem and the risk-taking abilities of India’s young entrepreneurs.”

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‘India will be critical strategic partner’

Modi-Biden

In his departure statement, PM Modi had said this “special invitation” from President Biden and the First Lady for a State Visit is a reflection of the vigour and vitality of the partnership between the democracies…reports Asian Lite News

India will be a critical strategic partner for the US in the coming decades, the White House said and asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit to the country will affirm the deep and close partnership between the two nations.

Modi is visiting the US from June 21-24 at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, who will host him at a State Dinner on June 22. The visit also includes an address by the prime minister to the joint session of the US Congress on June 22.

In his departure statement, PM Modi had said this “special invitation” from President Biden and the First Lady for a State Visit is a reflection of the vigour and vitality of the partnership between the democracies.

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications (NSCCSC) John Kirby on Tuesday told a press conference here: “India will be a critical strategic partner for the United States in the coming decades.” India’s growing commitment to playing a more “engaged international role, including in the Indo-Pacific Quad, demonstrates a new and growing willingness to join the United States to protect and advance a shared vision of a free, open, and rules-based global order”, he said.

Kirby said that “as we think about the future of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and building resilient supply chains for clean energy technologies, semiconductors, and other critical and emerging technology, countering climate change, the future of our workforces, and global health, energy, food security, there is no partner more consequential than India”.

The Official State Visit of the prime minister will affirm the deep and close partnership between the US and India, and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together, he told reporters at the Foreign Press Center.

“The visit will strengthen our two countries’ shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific and our shared resolve to elevate its strategic technology partnership, including in defence, clean energy, and space,” he said.

Kirby added that the leaders will discuss ways to further expand educational exchanges and people-to-people ties as well as work together to confront common challenges from climate change to workforce development and health security.

He said as the world’s oldest and largest democracies and as key net security providers in the Indo-Pacific, the US and India are increasingly partners of first resort as a combined force for global good.

“Now, we are hosting India for an Official State Visit to put our cooperation on an inexorable trajectory as we support India’s emergence as a great power that will be central to ensuring US interest in the coming decades,” he said.

The NSCCSC said after years of strengthening ties, the US-India partnership is deeper and more expansive than it has ever been in the past. “We now look instinctively to each other and work cooperatively with each other to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific, to drive innovation, jointly tackle global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” Kirby said.

“Together and working with other like-minded partners, our countries will shape the future, working towards a world that, again, is open and more prosperous, more stable, more secure, and, quite frankly, more resilient,” he said.

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Modi to lead yoga event in UN

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi participates in the mass yoga demonstration at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan, on the occasion of the 3rd International Day of Yoga - 2017, in Lucknow on June 21, 2017.

Great enthusiasm among diplomats from around the world and UN officials for the International Day of Yoga celebrations to be led by Modi on Wednesday…reports Asian Lite News

There is great enthusiasm among diplomats from around the world and UN officials for the International Day of Yoga celebrations to be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, according to India’s Permanent Representative to UN, Ruchira Kamboj.

As workers were busy on Monday for the celebration at the North Lawn of the UN headquarters campus, Kamboj said that about 1,800 diplomats and officials have registered for the event.

Modi will be starting off his US visit at the Yoga Day celebrations and head to Washington. While in New York, he will also be meeting “a cross-section of prominent personalities and leaders,” according to Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra.

This will be Modi’s eighth visit to the US as Prime Minister, but his first state visit that carries a higher level of pomp and circumstance — like a welcoming 21-gun salute and a state dinner.

He will also be addressing the joint session of US Congress for the second time. Modi said that the theme for this year’s event is “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “Yoga for the Welfare of All as One World-One Family”.

Modi personally leading the celebration has increased the interest in and enthusiasm for the event, Kamboj said. UN General Assembly President and Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has tweeted that she looks forward to being with Modi at the yoga event.

United Nations officials, diplomats and guests participate in a mass yoga exercise at the UN headquarters during the celebration of the eighth International Yoga Day on Monday, June 21, 2022. (Photo: Arul Louis/IANS).

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will be away in Paris for the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact, but will be sending a video message to the celebration. The ninth International Yoga Day, which will include mass yoga exercises, will be held from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. New York Time (5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. IST) on Wednesday and will be videocast on the UN network (webtv.un.org).

Modi will not be attending the yoga celebrations scheduled to be held at the Times Square. The annual event with the participation of the consulate, civic groups and yoga organisations is called “Mind over Madness Yog”.

In his address to the UN General Assembly in 2014, Modi suggested declaring June 21 — the Summer Solstice which is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere — as the International Day of Yoga.

He linked yoga to both health and climate change. He said yoga “is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature”. He added that it could lead to “changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change”.

Asoke Mukerji, who was then India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, worked feverishly to mobilise support for it and got it unanimously approved in a record time of less than three months in December. The first Yoga Day was celebrated in 2015 and has been held every year, even in the middle of the Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021 when it went virtual.

Yoga Day has become an international celebration with group practices and asana demonstrations across the globe.

Meanwhile, Indian Army personnel on Wednesday performed Yoga at Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh on the occasion of the 9th International Yoga Day.

Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande also performed Yoga at Delhi Cantonment in the national capital.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar performed Yoga on board INS Vikrant at Kochi in Kerala.

Meanwhile, PM Modi will celebrate the International Day of Yoga on June 21 at the United Nations Headquarters with the UN leadership and members of the international community.

Every year International Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21 worldwide. It serves as a platform to raise awareness about the numerous benefits of yoga and promote its holistic approach to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

The concept of International Yoga Day was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2014 address to the United Nations General Assembly.

Since then, Yoga has gained huge popularity worldwide due to its ability to enhance flexibility, strength, balance, and overall fitness.

This year the theme of Yoga Day is ‘Yoga For Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ i.e. Yoga for the welfare of all in the form of ‘One World-One Family’.

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Modi leaves for his first State visit to US

Top 20 business leaders of US companies including Mastercard, Accenture, the Coca-Cola Company, Adobe Systems and Visa are expected to meet the PM…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, emplaned for the United States for his first historic State visit.

Prior to leaving for the US, PM Modi tweeted, “Leaving for USA, where I will attend programmes in New York City and Washington DC. These programmes include Yoga Day celebrations at the @UNHQ, talks with @POTUS @JoeBiden, address to the Joint Session of the US Congress and more.” PM Modi was invited by the US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. 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 June 21.

PM Modi will then travel to Washington DC, where he will receive a ceremonial welcome at the White House on June 22 and meet President Biden to continue their high-level dialogue. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host a State Dinner in honour of the Prime Minister the same evening, according to a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The PM will also address a Joint Sitting of the US Congress on June 22.

The invitation to deliver such a historic speech was extended by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, demonstrating bipartisan support and respect for Prime Minister Modi in the United States. He would be the first Indian Prime Minister to address a joint session of the United States Congress twice.

The invitation letter from the President and First Lady praised PM Modi’s last historic address seven years ago, which helped cement the connection between the two countries.

The White House emphasised in its message that it was an occasion to reaffirm the two countries’ deep and close alliance. PM Modi expressed his thanks for the privilege and stated that he was looking forward to addressing the joint session.

In his message, PM Modi reiterated the pride in having a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the US founded on the principles of democratic values, close people-to-people ties and a staunch commitment to global peace and prosperity.

On June 23, the Prime Minister will be jointly hosted at a luncheon by US Vice President Kamala Harris and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. In addition to official engagements, the Prime Minister is scheduled to have several curated interactions with leading CEOs, professionals, and other stakeholders. He will also meet members of the Indian Diaspora.

He is expected to meet business leaders of 20 top American companies here and 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.

Top 20 business leaders of US companies including Mastercard, Accenture, the Coca-Cola Company, Adobe Systems and Visa are expected to meet with the Prime Minister.

The business advocacy group, the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) headed by Dr Mukesh Aghi will host ‘We The People: Celebrating the U.S.-India Partnership’ on Friday, June 23, 2023, in Washington D.C.

A reception at the Hall of Nations Terrace (Kennedy Center) will follow the Prime Minister’s address. The event with some of the important names including Shantanu Narayen, Chief Executive Officer of Adobe Systems; Julie Sweet CEO of Accenture; Ryan McInerney CEO of Visa Inc, Michael Miebach, CEO of Mastercard; and James Quincey, CEO of Coke Cola.

After this, the PM will then travel to Cairo to pay a state visit to Egypt from June 24-25.

“No Indian prime minister has addressed it twice. So, it will be the first time. World over also, very few people have done that… Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela. So, there are very few people who have addressed the US Congress twice. That’s why its importance is huge,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.

Another standout aspect of PM Modi’s visit is that he will be the second Indian Prime Minister to have the honour of a state visit. He is also the third world leader, after France’s Emmanuel Macron and South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol, to be invited by President Joe Biden for a state visit and dinner — the highest ranked diplomatic reception typically reserved for only the closest of allies. The visit signifies the “highest level of honour” and it has happened only twice in India’s history, Mr Jaishankar added.

PM Modi is the third Indian leader to make a state visit to the US. The previous two state visits were made by former president Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in June 1963 and former prime minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009.

This will be Narendra Modi’s first state visit to the US during his nine years as Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Modi’s previous visits to the US were classified as a working visit (2014), working lunch (2016) and official working visit (2017). His 2019 visit is described by the US Department of State website as one in which he “Participated in a rally in Houston, Texas”.

ALSO READ-Modi to visit Al-Hakim mosque in Egypt

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Modi to visit Al-Hakim mosque in Egypt

PM Modi will make a State visit to Egypt on June 24 and 25….reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first Egypt tour will visit the 11th-century Al-Hakim mosque. He will also visit the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery to pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who made the “supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt during the First World War,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said on Monday.

The Foreign Secretary made these remarks while addressing a special briefing on Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to the US and Egypt.

PM Modi will make a State visit to Egypt on June 24 and 25.

Kwatra said, “It is worth mentioning here that this will be Prime Minister’s first visit to Egypt and I might also mention that this would be the first official bilateral visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Egypt since 1997.”

He added that there have been visits in between, but they have mostly been for multilateral or plurilateral events.

Kwatra also said that PM Modi upon reaching Cairo on June 24 will first meet with the India unit, a select unit of high-level ministers that the President of Egypt had constituted after his return from India.

“Most recently, the Egyptian president had paid a state visit to India when he graced our Republic Day earlier in the year as the chief guest. At this stage, the prime Minister is expected to reach Cairo in the afternoon of June 24 where his first interaction will be with the India unit,” the Foreign Secretary said.

He also mentioned that over the last several months since the visit of the President of Egypt, India has seen intense level of ministerial-level political exchanges with Egypt.

“External Affairs Minister himself, the Defence Minister, and the Minister of Environment have travelled to Egypt. We have had, similarly at least three to four ministers from the Egyptian government who have visited India. Even as we speak a ministerial-level delegation led by the chairperson of the Suisse Canal Authority is in India clearly shows you the extent of very sharp focus that both India and Egypt are placing on strengthening all aspects of their relationship,” the Foreign Secretary added.

Speaking further about PM Modi’s visit, Kwatra said Prime Minister will also have an interaction with the small Indian community in Egypt.

“His next day will begin with a visit to Al-Hakim mosque. It is the 11th-century mosque which was refurbished, and renovated by the Bohra community and the visit to Al-Hakim mosque will be followed by a visit to the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery to pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt during the First World War,” he added.

After this Prime Minister will have an official engagement with the President of Egypt, including bilateral talks with the President of Egypt and the signing of various MoUs and agreements on that day, said Kwatra.

Recalling the recent India visit of the Grand Mufti of Egypt, he said, “Egypt has also been invited as a special guest during India’s G20 presidency.”

Kwatra also noted that PM Modi’s visit is a “very quick, reciprocal visit,” which came just within six months of Egypt President Sisi’s visit to India.

“We do expect and are confident that the visit of PM Modi to Egypt will not just ensure continuing momentum to the relationship between our two countries, but will also help it expand to new areas of trade and economic engagement between our two countries,” Kwatra said.

Prior to his Egypt visit, PM Modi will visit the United States at the invitation of President Joe Biden. (ANI)

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US seals key ‘jet engine deal’ ahead of Modi’s visit

Modi-Biden

In the meantime, during the PM’s visit, GE and HAL will sign an MoU on the manufacturing deal. The jet engines will power Tejas MK 2 fighter planes…reports Asian Lite News

Sealing a key deliverable during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington DC, the United States (US) administration has completed the executive approvals for the manufacture of F414 jet engines in India and begun the process of notifying the US Congress about the impending Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between General Electric (GE) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), people familiar with discussions on the subject said.

This is the first time that the US will share what it called a “crown jewel” in its defence capabilities with a non-ally; it is the first time that there will be coproduction of jet engines with a country with which Washington DC doesn’t have a treaty; it is also the first time that the US system is sharing a substantial share of sensitive jet engine technology with a provision for tech transfer ratio to increase.

“It is transformative. India will have access to the full engine. There are no black boxes here. The manufacturing in India is going to start with technology sharing of way over 50% which rises over the production cycle. There will be a flexible licensing agreement. India will have designs and sensitive technology. This is more tech transfer than the US has ever authorised. We are breaking through into new frontiers,” said a person aware of the discussions.

It is understood that commerce, state and defense departments have pushed through executive approvals, with regard to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR); the administration is notifying the Senate and House armed services and foreign relations committees; and the process will take a few weeks to get to the full Congress. But given the strong bipartisan support India enjoys on the Hill, it is expected to move through smoothly.

In the meantime, during the PM’s visit, GE and HAL will sign an MoU on the manufacturing deal. The jet engines will power Tejas MK 2 fighter planes.

Explaining the significance of the decision, from the American perspective, Sameer Lalwani, a senior expert at the US Institute of Peace (USIP), said, “For the US, this is a significant move – a ‘costly signal’ as social scientists say – to share some highly sensitive technology, which it has never shared with a non-ally. Such transfers can be made possible, not simply with blueprints but from the transmission of tacit and organisational knowledge through a shared ecology of joint research, manufacturing, and supply chains.”

From the Indian perspective, Lalwani said, the deal offered access to better fighter jet engines than what China possessed – “with greater power and efficiency, longer service life, and less maintenance”. “It also offers India a coveted technology cooperation partnership and path to research, design, and produce its own cutting-edge aeroengines and upstream inputs.”

Given the deal’s political importance, Lalwani said, it can help catalyse a much broader defence technology and industrial partnership between the US and India, “ranging from basic science to lab research and development to codevelopment and commercialisation of new capabilities for advanced domains”.

In a recent report arguing for the deal, Heritage Foundation’s John Venable and Jeff Smith noted, “The deal would bolster India’s capacity to field indigenously produced fighters with some of the most powerful and reliable engines in the class, saving decades of research and development costs.” They added that the F414 engine technology transfer will also expand on the “already growing interoperability between US and Indian military systems”.

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Top 20 US CEOs to meet Modi in Washington

The event will have a get-together of not just business leaders but also some of the Biden administration’s top officials, reports Reena Bhardwaj…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet business leaders of 20 top American companies in Washington and is also expected to address a gathering of more than 1,500 diaspora and business leaders at the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington.

Top 20 business leaders of US companies including Mastercard, Accenture, the Coca-Cola Company, Adobe Systems and Visa are expected to meet with the Prime Minister privately, two people familiar with the event and its logistics told ANI. Some of the important names including Shantanu Narayen, Chief Executive Officer of Adobe Systems; Julie Sweet CEO of Accenture; Ryan McInerney CEO of Visa Inc, Michael Miebach, CEO Mastercard; James Quincey, CEO Coke Cola will take part in the event.

“The meeting will witness eminent industry leaders from across various sectors including IT, Telecom, FMCG, logistics, and industrials,” a person familiar with the planning told ANI.

This meeting will be post Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the State Dinner at the White House and before going on an official visit to Cairo at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The event will have a get-together of not just business leaders but also some of the Biden administration’s top officials.

“More than 1,500 invites have been sent out for the Kennedy Center event that includes some of the top CEOs and business leaders. Invites are also being sent to several officials in the Biden administration,” the person further said.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, Mukesh Aghi, President and Chief Executive Officer of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, on Monday (local time) said that India and the US are getting over the suspiciousness of each other. While speaking to ANI, Mukesh Aghi said that they are witnessing a much more “concrete, deeper and broader relationship” coming up between India and US.

Aghi said that India is taking an independent position at international forums. However, he noted that India also supports the US position. He also recalled PM Modi’s address to the joint session of the Congress.

In response to a question regarding the change in India-US ties over the years, he said, “Well, when Prime Minister spoke for the first time to a joint session of the Congress, he said we need to overcome the hesitation of history. And I think what we are seeing is both sides are coming, getting over the suspiciousness of each other.”

“We had in India 1998 sanctions and India couldn’t bring in a lot of those technologies. Now we’re seeing a lot of those technologies moving to India. We are seeing India stepping up in the international forum, taking an independent position, but it also supports the US position also. So, I think we are seeing a much more concrete, deeper and broader relationship coming up,” he added.

PM Modi is scheduled to arrive in New York. After leading the Yoga Day celebrations at the UN headquarters on June 21.

Modi is expected to leave New York for Washington DC on June 21, soon after the event, to begin the bilateral leg of his visit. On June 22, President Joe Biden will host him for a State visit, which includes a ceremonial welcome at the White House, bilateral talks, luncheon sponsored by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary Blinken.

Besides the state visit, cabinet ministers in the Biden administration and key leaders are likely to call on the Prime Minister for meetings. (ANI)

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Modi calls for women-led development

PM Modi emphasised that women are driving development agendas and acting as drivers of growth and transformation….reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on day 2 of the G20 Ministers’ meeting in Varanasi on Monday not only urged everyone to adopt a game-changing action plan for women-led development but also said that attempts should be made to increase investment in fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Delivering a special video address at the G20 Development Ministers’ meeting under the G20 Indian Presidency in Varanasi, PM Modi emphasized that it is the collective responsibility of the people not to let the Sustainable Development Goals fall behind. He continued by saying that the Global South needed to strongly convey to the rest of the globe the necessary course of action. Underlining the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment in achieving the SDGs, the Prime Minister mentioned that India is not limited to women’s empowerment but extends to women-led development.

PM Modi emphasised that women are driving development agendas and acting as drivers of growth and transformation. Everyone, he said, should adopt a radical Action Plan for Women-led Development.

The Prime Minister said that multilateral financial institutions should be reformed to expand the eligibility criteria to ensure that finance is accessible to those in need.

“In India, we have made efforts to improve people’s lives in more than a hundred Aspirational Districts which were pockets of under-development that have now emerged as the catalysts of growth in the country,” the PM said in his address.

The Prime Minister urged the G20 Development Ministers to study this development model.”It may be relevant as you work towards accelerating Agenda 2030″, he added.

PM Modi also underlined that the democratization of technology is a crucial tool to help bridge the data divide.

“Democratisation of technology is an important tool to help bridge the data divide. In India, digitalisation has brought about a revolutionary change,” PM Modi said in his video address to the visiting delegates.

“India is willing to share its experience with partner countries, PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister welcomed delegates to Varanasi which he said is the oldest living city of the mother of democracy.

Highlighting the significance of Kashi, the Prime Minister said that it has been the centre of knowledge, discussion, debate, culture, and spirituality for centuries while it also has the essence of India’s diverse heritage serving as a convergence point for people from all parts of the country.

“I am delighted that the G20 development agenda has reached Kashi as well. Development is a core issue for the global south…I strongly believe that it is our collective responsibility not to let the sustainable development goals fall behind. We must ensure that no one is left behind,” the Prime Minister said. (ANI)

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Modi holds telephonic talks with Saudi’s MBS

PM Modi also conveyed his best wishes for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage, read the PMO release…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday had a telephone conversation with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, with both leaders reviewing a number of bilateral, multilateral and global issues, according to a release by the Prime Minister’s Office.

PM Modi also thanked the Saudi Crown Prince for his support during the evacuation of Indian nationals from Sudan via Jeddah. India had launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to evacuate its nationals caught up in the Sudan crisis amid intense fighting between the army and a rival paramilitary force. Around 3,000 Indians were stuck in various parts of Sudan, including the capital Khartoum and in distant provinces like Darfur.

The operation involved the deployment of the Indian Navy’s INS Sumedha, a stealth offshore patrol vessel, and two Indian Air Force C-130J special operations aircraft in Jeddah.

PM Modi also conveyed his best wishes for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage, read the PMO release.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fully supported India’s ongoing G20 Presidency.

India holds the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023. The 43 Heads of Delegations, the largest ever in G20, will be participating in the final New Delhi Summit in September next year.

The G20 is an informal grouping of 19 countries and the European Union, with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The G20 Presidency rotates annually: according to a system that ensures a regional balance over time.

“The two leaders agreed to remain in touch,” added the release. (ANI)

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