New Delhi: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic US visit, the White House on Wednesday that the upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India. The two leaders will discuss ways to strengthen their commitment to a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific and will also emphasize their shared determination to enhance the strategic technology partnership, with a specific focus on defense.


PM Modi is scheduled to visit the US on June 22 following an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.


"The PM and the President will discuss ways to 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 defence," Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre said.




PM Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister who will address the Joint Meeting of the US Congress for the second time during his upcoming official state visit to the United States from June 21 to 24, reported ANI.


"I don't have anything more to say at this time about the visit. As we get closer, certainly we will have more to share. What I've said is the upcoming visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link the Americans and Indians together," she said.


"So that certainly will be talked about in clean energy and space, but I'm just not going to get into details on what the particulars will be. And as we get closer to June 22, we certainly have more to share," she added.


Ahead of Modi's state visit, both countries launched a strategic trade dialogue in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, during which officials reviewed the ongoing cooperation in multilateral export control regulations and agreed to share the best practices to further the bilateral ties.


At the inaugural India-US Strategic Trade Dialogue (IUSSTD), the Indian delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra. The US delegation was co-led by Alan Estevez, Under Secretary for Industry and Security in the US Department of Commerce and Ambassador Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs in the US Department of State.

 

According to a statement, the dialogue focused on ways in which both governments can facilitate the development and trade of technologies in critical domains such as semiconductors, space, telecom, quantum, AI, defence, bio-tech, and others.

 

Earlier, PM Modi visited the United States on September 23, 2021.