Indian PM to visit White House from Sept 29-30
13 Sep MSN
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for years barred from visiting
the United States, will meet President Barack Obama in two days of
eagerly awaited White House talks at the end of the month.The meetings,
on September 29 and 30, will take place on Modi's first visit to
Washington since he led his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
to a crushing victory in May's elections.
Modi was told in 2005 by the administration of president George W.
Bush that he would be refused a visa to visit the United States, after
being accused of not intervening to stop riots by Hindu extremists
against minority Muslims when he was chief minister of Gujarat state.
He has denied doing anything wrong during the 2002 riots, which
caught the eye of Washington following the passage of a law intended to
outlaw violators of religious freedom.When it became clear last year
that Modi was positioned to become India's next prime minister, the
current White House, which sees India as a key pivot in its policy of
rebalancing diplomatic power towards Asia, signaled that Modi would have
no problem setting foot on US soil.The two leaders will discuss a range
of issues of mutual interest in order to expand and deepen the US-India
strategic partnership," said a White House statement.
"They will discuss ways to accelerate economic growth, bolster
security cooperation, and collaborate in activities that bring long-term
benefits to both countries and the world.Obama and Modi will also
discuss regional issues, including in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.The
president looks forward to working with the prime minister to fulfill
the promise of the US-India strategic partnership for the benefit of
both our citizens and the world."Washington has wasted no time in trying
to court Modi, who was seen as less keen to engage the United States
than his predecessor Manmohan Singh, a bookish academic who had a close
relationship with Obama.US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary
of Defense Chuck Hagel have already traveled to India to meet the new
prime minister.It is unusual for a foreign leader, especially one who is
not making a state visit, to go to the White House on two separate days.
"The fact that there will be interactions over two days is a signal
of the importance we place on the US-India relationship," said National
Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.
Though Washington sees rising India as a democratic counterweight to
the region's other emerging power, China, things have not gone
completely smoothly.Kerry rebuked Modi during his visit over India's
refusal to ratify an important WTO trade deal on streamlining customs
procedures and boosting global commerce.
India argued that the pact's market opening requirements could
prejudice its efforts to lift up its poorest citizens.
The United States has tried to restore the warmth in relations with
India, after a series of spats, including a crisis in December when US
authorities arrested an Indian diplomat in New York for allegedly
mistreating her housekeeper, infuriating New Delhi.Obama hosted Singh
for his first state dinner as US president in 2009. He then traveled to
India the following year.
|