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‘Looking forward’: Biden's message ahead of bilateral meeting with PM Modi
PM Modi-Biden meet: Tackling everything from Covid-19 to climate change is on the table, US President Joe Biden said ahead of the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first in-person meeting with US President Joe Biden began on Friday with a focus on bilateral trade, US-India ties and the present situation in Afghanistan. Terming India-US ties as ‘deep’, Biden tweeted that he is looking forward to the bilateral meeting with PM Modi, the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after Biden became US President.
“This morning I’m hosting Indian PM Narendra Modi at the White House for a bilateral meeting. I look forward to strengthening the deep ties between our two nations, working to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific, and tackling everything from Covid-19 to climate change,” Biden said ahead of the meeting.
As PM Modi reached the White House, he was greeted by the Indian community who organised a welcome programme for PM Modi outside the White House.
Follow live updates of PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Joe Biden
The situation in Afghanistan will be one of the key issues at the Modi-Biden meeting, the ministry of external affairs said earlier. The two leaders are likely to discuss the need to "stem radicalism, extremism, cross-border terrorism and dismantling of global terrorist network" during their one-hour meeting.
US and India share robust and multifaceted bilateral ties which Biden described as ‘deep’. Discussion to bolster bilateral trade and investment ties will take place.
"The bilateral meeting will also feature the current regional security situation following the recent development in Afghanistan, our stakes as a neighbour and the long-standing and preferred development partner of the people of Afghanistan. In this context, he would undoubtedly discuss the need to stem radicalism, extremism, cross-border terrorism and dismantling of the global terrorist network," the external affairs ministry said earlier.
As India-US ties have become deeper in recent years, the frequency of high-level visits and exchanges between India and the US has gone up. PM Modi had visited the US in 2019 and then US President Donald Trump visited India in 2020. The two countries have also held 2 + 2 Ministerial Dialogue.
PM Modi and Biden have participated in several virtual summits, including that of the Quad in March and the Climate Change Summit in April.
The bilateral meeting between the Prime Minister and the US President will be followed by the first in-person Quad leaders' summit. On Thursday, PM Modi met US Vice President Kamala Harris and Prime Ministers of Australia and Japan.
