Narendra Modi, a leader of world’s largest democracy is expected to get a rockstar welcome in the United States as he is scheduled to visit the country from June 22, 2023. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has already joked stating that he wants Modi’s autograph because so many people want to see the Indian Prime Minister while he is in the US. Despite criticism and propaganda of his political opponents, Narendra Modi remains one of the world’s most popular leaders – not just at home, but among the tens of millions of people who make up the global South Asian diaspora.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to the United States to meet with President Joe Biden and address the Congress, with military and technological ties on the agenda as his hosts seek a regional counter to China.
“We seek to deepen India-USA ties in key sectors like trade, commerce, innovation, technology and other such areas”, Modi posted on Twitter before he left for his first state visit to the US since assuming power in 2014.
While Modi has visited the US many times—most recently for a three-day visit in September 2021, where he held a bilateral meeting with Biden—this will be the first time the Prime Minister’s trip will be categorized as the highest ranked visit according to diplomatic protocol.
As India takes center stage as the world’s most populous country, one of the fastest growing economies, and a powerhouse for tech and innovation, the Biden Administration hopes it can court the country as a crucial ally to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The visit will strengthen our two countries’ shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific and our shared resolve to elevate our strategic technology partnership, including in defense, clean energy, and space”, the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The state visit will include conversations aimed at further cementing an already-growing defense and manufacturing relationship between the US and India. More recently, Washington and New Delhi have been engaged in discussions about jointly producing jet engines, long-range artillery, and military vehicles. In May, India joined Biden’s 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which primarily aims to reduce China’s economic dominance through manufacturing, but without drawing up a formal trade agreement. Now, American company General Electric is hoping to co-produce military jets in the country, while the US has increased investment in a semiconductor and chip manufacturing ecosystem set in India as a way to decrease dependence on Chinese manufacturing.
Relations between India and the US have changed in notable ways over the years. After independence from British rule in 1947, India was more closely aligned with Russia during the Cold War era due to U.S. distrust and estrangement over India’s nuclear program, while the U.S. had a stronger partnership with India’s rival, Pakistan.
The two countries remained “estranged democracies”, according to the former U.S. Ambassador, Dennis Kux, until the early 1990s. However, since the early 2000s, US administrations from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump have worked to build a strong relationship with India, recognizing its potential to be a strategic partner in ensuring the security of the Indo-Pacific region.
In 2005, India and the US signed a major nuclear deal under which India was recognized de facto as a nuclear weapons power. More recently, India’s participation in the Quad, a security alliance between the US and its allies, Australia, Japan and India, has led to the country becoming a critical element of American defense strategy.
Last year, the two countries conducted joint military exercises not far from the disputed Indo-China border, and in May, joined Biden’s 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which officials and business executives hope will reduce American reliance on Chinese manufacturing for mutual benefit, including increased iPhone shipments from Indian-based factories.
