Blinken looking forward to hosting PM Modi in June to celebrate deep India-US partnership

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Indian premier’s Washington trip will mark the celebration of a deep partnership between the US and India. PM Modi met the US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan. From sharing a warm hug to discussing wide-ranging issues that are grappling the world, the two world leaders had several encounters on the second day of the summit.

Meanwhile, Blinken met  with his Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and held “great discussion” with him. Expressing his delight to host Modi next month, Blinken took to Twitter to narrate the whole ordeal. 

“I had a great discussion with Indian Minister of External Affairs @DrSJaishankar on the sidelines of the G7 in Hiroshima,” Blinken wrote on Twitter on Sunday. “We look forward to hosting Indian Prime Minister @NarendraModi in June, whose visit will celebrate the deep partnership between the United States and India,” he added. He also shared an image where he can be seen conversing with Jaishankar. Prior to the QUAD meeting that took place between the heads of the states from India, the US, Japan and Australia, Biden expressed his eagerness to host PM Modi next month and alluded to his growing popularity in the US. 

‘Running out of tickets’: Biden 

 Ahead of the QUAD meeting on Saturday, Biden lauded the PM Modi administration and told him that he is showcasing that “Democracy matters”. The POTUS then went on to mention PM Modi’s trip to the US next month. “You are demonstrating that democracies matter. You are causing me a real problem. Next month we have dinner for you in Washington,” Biden quipped. “Everyone in the whole country wants to come. I have run out of tickets. You think I am kidding? Ask my team. I am getting phone calls from people I have never heard of before. Everyone from movie actors to relatives. You are too popular,” he added. 

Biden then went on to state that PM Modi has a significant impact in the international sphere and in the QUAD. “Mr Prime Minister, you have made a significant impact on everything, including what we are doing in QUAD. You also made a fundamental shift in climate. You have influence in the Indo-Pacific. You are making a difference,” he asserted. 

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will be visiting Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from May 21-22. As per the statement released by the Department of State, Blinken will meet with Pacific Islands Forum leaders on behalf of President Biden. PM Modi will be in the island nation as well. The Prime Minister’s trip to the country is part of his “three-nation tour,” which included Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia.