PM Modi s first official state visit to the US from June 21 till 23

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first official state visit to the US from June 21 till 23 will be a “milestone in the relationship between the two countries”, said Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra while briefing the media on the PM’s two-nation, six-day visit abroad. After concluding his US visit, the PM will travel to Egypt as a reciprocation of the visit by its President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who was the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day parade.

The PM will begin the visit to the US from New York, where he will lead the International Yoga Day celebrations at the UN headquarters and meet prominent personalities and leaders on June 21.

“One of the key components will be bilateral defence cooperation,” said Kwatra on the state visit that will begin in Washington from June 22 with a ceremonial welcome at the White House. It will be followed by bilateral meetings, the PM’s address to the US Congress and a ceremonial state dinner.

The Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap will be a key outcome, he said while asserting that it focuses on all aspects of defence co-production and co-development. The other key components are trade and investment partnership and technology cooperation covering telecom, space, manufacturing and investment.

The PM will then visit Egypt on June 24 and 25. Besides his official engagements, the PM will also visit the 11th Century mosque Al-Hakim, refurbished and renovated by the Bohra community. On the targeting of Indian symbols by separatists in the US, he said: “The underlying intent and the goal of such attacks is something we are concerned (about)... we have shared those concerns actively and completely with the countries where such outfits function.”

On June 23, the PM will interact with select CEOs followed by a luncheon hosted by US Vice-President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He will also address the Indian-American community at the Reagan Centre. “We are determined to move to the new domains of strategic partnership, which would also be net positive contributors to developments in the world,” added Kwatra.

PM to visit Al-Hakim mosque in Egypt

The PM will visit Egypt on June 24 and 25. Besides his official engagements, the PM will also visit the 11th Century mosque Al-Hakim, which was refurbished and renovated by the Bohra community