"Big week at White House...India critical strategic partner in coming decades"

WASHINGTON DC: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US will strengthen the shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific and the resolve to elevate strategic technology partnership including in defence, White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Kirby said it is a big week at the White House as the President and First Lady welcome the Prime Minister of India for an official state visit and dinner.

Kirby said India and the US are "increasingly partners of first resort" in the Indo-Pacific. He said that PM Modi and US President Joe Biden will discuss ways to further enhance educational exchanges and people-to-people ties as well as work together to tackle common challenges. "This is a big week here at the White House as the President and First Lady welcome the Prime Minister of India for an official state visit and dinner. It's only the third such state dinner and visit of this administration. This visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the US and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together," Kirby said.

"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 defence, clean energy and space. The leaders will discuss ways to further expand our educational exchanges and people-to-people ties as well as our work together to confront common challenges, from climate change to workforce development and health security.

As the world's oldest and largest democracies and as key net security partners in the Indo-Pacific, the US and India are increasingly partners of first resort as a combined force for global good," he added. Terming India a "critical strategic partner" for the US in the coming decades, he said that India's growing commitment to playing a more engaged international role in the Indo-Pacific, Quad demonstrates a new and growing readiness to join the US to protect and advance a shared vision of free, open and rules-based order. "As a combined force for global good, India will be a critical strategic partner for the US in the coming decades.

India's growing commitment to playing a more engaged international role, including in the Indo-Pacific Quad, demonstrates a new and growing willingness to join the US to protect and advance a shared vision of a free, open and rules-based order," Kirby said. PM Modi's visit to US will begin in New York where he will lead the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations Headquarters on June 21. PM Modi will thereafter travel to Washington DC, where he will receive a ceremonial welcome at the White House on June 22, and meet President Biden to continue their high-level dialogue.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host a State Dinner in honour of the Prime Minister the same evening. PM Modi will also address a joint sitting of the US Congress on June 22.