- Thursday, April 24, 2025
Modi met top officials of the Joe Biden administration, including vice president Kamala Harris, after president Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden received him.
By: Shubham Ghosh
UNDER an overcast sky, a large crowd of the Indian diaspora gathered at the South Lawns of the White House on Thursday to witness prime minister Narendra Modi’s official welcome during his state visit to the US. Despite a drizzle, the enthusiasm of the diaspora members remained high as they waved the flags of both countries and chanted slogans like ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, and ‘Modi, Modi’. The festive atmosphere was described as a great sight by one attendee who had travelled from Boston.
US president Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden received the prime minister as he arrived in a black vehicle. After greeting the first couple, Modi met other top dignitaries of the Biden administration, including vice president Kamala Harris, secretary of state Antony Blinken, defence secretary Lloyd Austin. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff was also present. The Bidens also met officials of the Indian side external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval, among others. Twenty one gun salutes featured in the official arrival ceremony welcoming Modi.
India’s goal is to make this decade a techade: Modi at Washington DC event
Happening Now: President Biden and the First Lady host Prime Minister Modi of India for an Official State Visit to the White House. https://t.co/RbeznP7MLB
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 22, 2023
#WATCH | US President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr Jill Biden welcome PM Modi on his arrival at the White House pic.twitter.com/zI6BuGTLxi
— ANI (@ANI) June 22, 2023
Following the ceremony, the leaders were set to hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, during which they were expected to make opening remarks and later address a joint news conference from the East Room of the White House. Both leaders were likely to take questions from journalists, with each side usually taking two questions.
During the last Indian state visit of former prime minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009, the two sides took one question each.
Modi would then proceed to deliver a speech at a joint meeting of the US Congress, making him only the third world leader, outside of Israel, to address Congress twice (after 2016). Among previous leaders who achieved this feat were Sir Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela. Modi’s speech would be attended by Congressmen and senators in the presence of several hundred Indian Americans from the visitor’s gallery.
In the evening, the first couple would welcome Modi for a state dinner. A tent pavilion was set up on the South Lawns to accommodate more than 400 guests. The guest lists would be announced about an hour before the reception and the dinner, which would be followed by entertainment.
While the specific deliverables of the visit were kept confidential, areas of cooperation between India and the US were expected to include space, education, defense, technology, climate change, and health. The visit aimed to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and solidify India and the US as close allies.
Overall, the atmosphere surrounding the visit was filled with excitement and anticipation for the outcomes and the deepening friendship between the two nations.
(With agency inputs)
