PM Modi's US Visit: From Quad Summit, Gaza to Biden's Farewell—What's on Agenda?

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to begin his three-day visit to the United States starting Saturday, September 21. This marks his first trip to Washington during his third term, just before the upcoming US elections. During his visit, the Prime Minister will hold high-level meetings with global leaders, attend the annual Quad summit, and participate in discussions at the United Nations.

The Prime Minister in a statement said, “Today, I am embarking on a three-day visit to the United States of America to participate in the Quad Summit being hosted by President Biden in his hometown Wilmington and to address the Summit of the Future at the UN General Assembly in New York.”

"I look forward joining my colleagues President Biden, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Kishida for the Quad Summit. The forum has emerged as a key group of the like-minded countries to work for peace, progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," he added.

In his statement, the PM noted that his meeting with President Biden would provide an opportunity to assess and explore new avenues for enhancing the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership for the benefit of both nations and the world.

Key issues on the agenda include regional stability in the Indo-Pacific, discussions on ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and concerns of the Global South.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect during his visit:

Quad summit in Wilmington, Biden's Farewell

The Quad Summit or the 'Summit of the Future'  will be the main highlight of the PM's visit to the US. The Summit is being hosted by US President Joe Biden in his hometown, sending a cozy relationship. The Summit's agenda will cover health and security, climate change, critical and emerging tech, HADR Infra connectivity, maritime security and how to counter-terrorism.

PM Modi and Biden will join Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday to discuss regional security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

The Quad is also a special time as it would be President Biden's and PM Kishida's farewell summit. 

PM's Bilateral Meet With Leaders:

During his three-day visit to the US, the Indian PM will also hold a bilateral meeting with President Biden, Kishida and Albanese, where they will focus on defence, technology collaboration, and strategies to address ongoing global conflicts, including the situations in Ukraine and Gaza. The Indian Prime Minister is also likely to reiterate India’s long-standing support for a two-state solution regarding the ongoing Gaza conflict, emphasising the need for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and a peaceful resolution for both Israel and Palestine. 

Meanwhile, Biden and PM Modi are expected to exchange a few agreements including the Indo-Pacific economic framework and related agreements and also India-US Drug Framework.

"Prime Minister Modi and President Biden will also have the opportunity to review the comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and United States which today covers almost every aspect of human endeavour through the 50-Plus engagements and bilateral dialogue mechanisms that we have between the two sides," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

Summit of the Future at the UN General Assembly

On the last day of the Summit i.e. September 23, PM Modi will address the UN General Assembly at the Summit of the Future, majorly focusing on sustainable development, climate issues, and international cooperation. His speech will also reflect India’s stance on global conflicts and its approach to bridging development gaps.

Addressing Concerns Over the Global South

PM Modi is also expected to bring attention to the challenges facing the Global South, especially in terms of equitable development, climate action, and the digital divide. This will be a key talking point during his visit.