Modi Hopes Obama Invite will Energise Ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accepted the formal invitation
from U.S. President Barack Obama that was delivered by U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State William Burns. After meeting Mr. Burns in Delhi, the
Prime Minister's Office issued a statement saying he “thanked President
Obama for the invitation and looked forward to a result-oriented visit
with concrete outcomes that imparts new momentum and energy to
India-U.S. strategic partnership”.
Mr. Modi is likely to meet President Obama on September 30 after his
visit to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where a number of
crucial bilateral meetings are also expected. By inviting Mr. Modi, the
U.S. has made an exception to its rule of avoiding bilateral meetings in
Washington while the General Assembly is in session. This is a far cry
from its policy until recently of having revoked Mr. Modi’s visa over
the Gujarat riots.
Preparatory meetings for the summit are already under way, with a slew
of senior officials expected in Delhi following Mr. Burns’ visit. On
Saturday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Arun Kumar will lead an
economic delegation to India., visiting Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad to
discuss “growing the U.S.-India commercial relationship,” a U.S. Embassy
release said. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected on July 31,
followed closely by U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in the second
week of August. The non-resident Indian community is expected to accord
Mr. Modi a grand welcome in New York, according to PTI.