PM Modi To Take Media Questions With US President Joe Biden, White House Official Calls Presser 'Big Deal'

PM Narendra Modi US Visit: This will be PM Modi's first press conference since May 2019, when he attended a BJP presser following the general elections but did not take any questions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks and take questions from journalists on Thursday during the former's state visit, a senior White House official called the event a "big deal", as per news agency Reuters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC on his arrival. PM Modi is on a State visit to the USA at the invitation of US President Joseph Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. He will hold talks with US President Joe Biden and address a Joint Sitting of the U.S. Congress today.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, "We are just grateful that Prime Minister Modi is participating in a press event at the end of the visit. We think that's important and we're glad he thinks that's important too", as quoted by Reuters.

This will be PM Modi's first press conference since May 2019, when he attended a BJP presser following the general elections but did not take any questions.

As per Reuters' report, Kirby said the White House acknowledges the press conference is a "big deal."

The format of the press conference will include one question from the U.S. press and one from an Indian journalist, he informed.

The report mentioned that White House press conferences with other world leaders are usually tightly controlled, with U.S. officials designating reporters beforehand from the American and foreign media for Biden and his guest to call upon. The journalists pose a very limited number of questions.

It remains to be seen whether Human rights in India could be a topic raised at the press conference as President Biden is said to be under pressure by his fellow Democrats to raise the issue with PM Modi amid the West's concerns about alleged democratic backsliding in India. 

PM Modi has been to the United States five times since becoming prime minister in 2014, but this is his first with the full diplomatic status of a state visit.