Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on his first-ever three-day state visit to the United States. The purpose of his visit is to enhance defense and technological cooperation between the two countries and strengthen India’s position on the global stage. This visit has also attracted attention from China, with communist leaders and media expressing concerns over the deepening relationship between India and the United States. However, Modi clarified in an interview that the improvement of India-China relations depends on the situation along their disputed border in the Himalaya Mountains.
During the first two days of his visit, Modi engaged in various meetings with U.S. thought leaders, think tanks, members of the Indian diaspora, American industry leaders, and CEOs, including Sanjay Mehrotra from Micron Technology and Elon Musk from Tesla and Twitter. He also met actor Richard Gere at a yoga event organized at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Modi was invited to a private dinner at the White House hosted by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden. The dinner was attended by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, and other guests. It is speculated that significant announcements on cooperation may be made before Modi addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress.
Modi has been emphasizing India’s emergence on the global stage during interviews and speeches related to his U.S. visit. He highlighted the strong ties between India and the United States, including in defense cooperation, trade, technology, and energy. The United States is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching a record of $128.55 billion in 2022-23. This trade increased while India’s trade with China decreased over the same period.
Modi has sought a greater role for India in the global arena, presenting it as the natural leader of the global South. He believes that India can give a voice to the aspirations of developing countries. However, he made it clear that India does not aim to replace any other country but wants to establish its rightful position in the world.
The U.S. visit by Modi has created a geo-political tug-of-war between Indian and Chinese media. Both sides have expressed their opinions on the matter. Modi reiterated that peaceful relations with China are essential for normal bilateral ties, emphasizing India’s commitment to protecting its sovereignty and dignity.
China’s former top diplomat, Wang Yi, wrote an opinion piece claiming that the United States aims to slow down China’s economic development by strengthening economic and trade cooperation with India. However, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, stated that Modi’s visit demonstrates India’s willingness to join the United States in protecting and advancing a free and rules-based global order.
Overall, Modi’s state visit to the United States has significant implications for India’s global presence and its relations with both the United States and China.