Indian Americans gearing up to welcome Modi on historic state visit

Modi to address joint session of Congress, meet diaspora, address CEOs of top US companies

Indian Americans are gearing up to extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his historic state visit to the United States from June 21 to 24 at the invitation of President Joe Biden.

It would be Modi’s sixth visit to the US since he became Prime Minister in 2014, but his first official state visit, a rare honor extended to only two Indian leaders before him — President S Radhakrishnan in June 1963 and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009.

READ: Seeds sown for stronger India-US friendship, Modi tells Biden (September 24, 2021)

Modi will also be making history when he addresses a joint meeting of the US Congress on June 23 — one of the highest honors Washington affords to foreign dignitaries — for the second time in seven years. It will make him only the third world leader, outside of Israel, to do so.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have invited Modi “to share your vision for India’s future and speak to the global challenges our countries both face.” s

Modi will fly into Washington on June 21 after attending the International Yoga Day celebrations on the north lawns of the UN complex in New York. The official visit will begin with the Bidens hosting a state dinner for Modi on June 22.

According to the White House Historical Association, this would be the 11th state dinner that a US President is hosting for an Indian leader, but in the last 75 years, only Radhakrishnan and Manmohan Singh have been accorded the honor of an official state visit.

Over the next two days, the two leaders would spend several hours together, beginning with a welcome ceremony on the South Lawns of the White House on the morning of June 22 attended by several thousand Indian Americans.

READ: Modi calls Kamala Harris an inspiration, invites her to visit India (September 24, 2021)

This is expected to be one of the biggest White House welcome ceremonies, with the exception of the 2008 papal visit when, according to record, more than 13,500 people attended.

More than 1,500 Indian Americans are reported to be planning to come to Washington from the New York and New Jersey areas. Over 500 Indian Americans each are coming from states like California, Illinois, Texas, Georgia and Florida.

After the welcome ceremony, which would be addressed by the two leaders, Biden and Modi are then expected to walk towards the Oval Office for a one-on-one talk followed by a delegation-level meeting in the Cabinet meeting room.

Vice President Kamala Harris would host the Prime Minister for lunch on June 23 at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, which is being co-hosted by the Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Second Gentleman. The two leaders are likely to deliver remarks during the luncheon.

In between, several Cabinet ministers in the Biden administration and key leaders are likely to call on the Prime Minister for meetings.

Interaction with the diaspora and the business community is one of the hallmarks of the Prime Ministers’ overseas trips, which is expected to consume most of the day’s proceedings on June 23. Modi will also address CEOs of top US companies at John F Kennedy Centre in Washington.

READ: Modi woos corporate America to invest in India (September 24, 2021)

Leading community organization Indiaspora and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) are jointly hosting a speech by Modi on “We The People: Celebrating the US-India Partnership” at Ronald Reagan Center in Washington on June 23.

A reception at the Hall of Nations Terrace (Kennedy Center) will follow the Prime Minister’s address.

More than 600 community members are planning to gather at Freedom Plaza in front of the Willard Intercontinental in Washington located near the White House where the PM will be staying during his visit.