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PremiumAfter a successful US visits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 June landed in Egypt for the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM after 26 years.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Indian diaspora as well as US businessmen to make full use of the growing India-US partnership and seize the moment. Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) event, he said, "Technology handshake held at the White House today is a direct message to the companies, businesses, manufacturers and innovators of both the countries - This is the moment. India and US Governments have done the groundwork for you. But now, the responsibility to grow on this ground is yours. The one who plays will flourish. I'm sure that you'll not let this opportunity slide."
PM Modi emphasized that India's success is driven by the aspirations of its people, and the India-US determination has the potential to change the fortunes of the world in the 21st century.
PM Modi is on a State Visit to the US from June 21-24 at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his maiden State visit to Egypt, former Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd) on Saturday said both sides are keen to develop their own defence industrial base and can collaborate in the field of military R&D and manufacturing.
"In the field of defence, India and Egypt have had excellent bilateral relationships. Historically our defence forces have shared a close bond," Bhadauria told ANI.
"We have a lot of commonalities of equipment, and thinking. Egypt is very keen to develop their own industrial base for their defence services in terms of new developments and ability to repair and sustain," he added.
The former IAF chief further said, "Given the commonalities in platforms and equipment, I think there is a huge potential to cooperate and collaborate in the field of defence R&D and manufacturing."
"There is a very significant possibility of exporting weapon systems, sensors and platforms and also supporting Egypt in their quest for indigenisation and building up their own industrial complex," Bhadauria added.
He said Prime Minister Modi's visit would substantially change the trajectory of mutual cooperation between the two countries in all areas of interest.
"India and Egypt are the two biggest operators of the Rafale combat aircraft after the original manufacturer country Rafale and have had many other systems in common. Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande had also recently visited Egypt for forging closer ties between the two sides," he said.
"A number of Indian defence manufacturing firms are also exploring opportunities of working in Egypt," he added. (ANI)
PM Narendra Modi lands in Cairo on a two-day State visit to Egypt, to hold a roundtable meeting with the Egyptian PM, and also meet President El-Sisi (ANI)
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's farewell address to a gathering of the Indian-American diaspora on the last day of his four-day historic visit to the US, he said meeting them all was like "having a sweet dish after a meal."
During his hour-long address at the Ronald Reagan Centre in Washington DC, the PM thanked the Indian community for turning up in large numbers and said "I can sense a mini-India converging here. I thank you all for coming here. I have received unprecedented love and affection during my stay in the US."
Stating that the India-US partnership will be beneficial in the 21st century, PM Modi said, "You all play a crucial role in this partnership.... meeting you all is like having a sweet dish after a meal."
During his address, the Prime Minister said, new US consulates will be opened in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad and also it has been decided that the H1B visa renewal can be done in the US itself.
He said people from India need no longer to go outside the US to renew H1B visas, which he said will majorly help IT professionals.
The Prime Minister also lauded the role played by the Indian community in deepening the ties between US and India.
The Prime Minister said it is a matter of pride for the Indians to see Made in India products in the US and witness India's talented individuals leading global companies, and observe the world dance to the tune of the Oscar-winning song 'Nattu Nattu'.
PM Modi also appreciated the huge footfall witnessed on the International Day of Yoga at the UN Headquarters.
He said, "You get delighted with every achievement of India. You feel proud that such a large number of countries of the world come together at the UN HQ for Yoga Day. You feel proud when you see Made in India at the supermarkets here. You feel proud when you see Indian talents leading the companies. You feel proud when the whole world dances to the tunes of 'Naatu Naatu..."
"The partnership between India and the United States will make the world better in the 21st Century. You all play a crucial role in this partnership. I will be leaving for the airport straight from here, meeting you all is like having a sweet dish after food," said PM Modi while interacting with a cheerful Indian diaspora. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit has taken India-US strategic and commercial relations to greater heights, paving the way for immense opportunities for bilateral engagement, Assocham said on Saturday.
Modi left for Egypt on Saturday after concluding his US State visit during which he held talks with President Joe Biden and addressed the Joint Session of Congress.
''Prime Minister's visit is being viewed as a turning point in Indo-US relations in a fast-changing world order which would see both the countries emerge as the most influential economies with strategic prowess in the unfolding international political economy,'' Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said.
He observed that while Modi demonstrated India's soft power as he participated in the International Yoga Day at the UN Headquarters in New York, the Prime Minister's personal chemistry with President Biden at the White House demonstrated shared cultural values of the two largest democracies of the world.
''In his inspirational address to the joint sitting of the US Congress, Modi conveyed to the world substantive all-round progress India has made in the most critical areas for our country and the world. These include an inclusive and impressive expansion in the Digital landscape with 850 internet connections, online transactions and tech-enabled governance," Sood said. (PTI)
Baba Kalyani, Chairman and MD of Bharat Forge Limited and founding president of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers has hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden for emphasising on co-production of critical systems and platforms "identifying avenues for joint research and development in advanced technologies."
Kalyani termed the PM Modi's US visit, a reflection of "strengthening engagement between two great and large democracies."
He said, "Historic state visit being accorded to PM Modi by US President Joe Biden is reflective of strengthening engagement between two great and large democracies, to scale up the Indian market and its requirements, combined with our overlapping strategic interest, create both an opportunity and imperative for businesses on either side...to expand bilateral trade & commerce, to strengthen engagement including strategic sectors such as defence, space, 5G, semi-conductor amongst others and collaborate to co-develop critical and emerging technologies."
The Indian billionaire businessman also thanked PM Modi and President Biden for "placing special emphasis on promoting industry, start-ups and academia linkages on either side encouraging co-development and coproduction of critical systems and platforms identifying avenues for joint research and development in advanced technologies."
He also welcomed the news around the manufacturing and assembling of the General Electric-F414 engine for LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) and also the phased procurement of General Atomics Predator MQ -9 Reaper guardian Drones.
"I believe these programs will go a long way in strengthening the aerospace and defence ecosystems in India," he said. (PTI)
The Prime Minister has departed for Egypt for a two-day visit.
Upon arrival in Egypt, PM Modi will have various engagements with the leaders and Indian diaspora there. He will spend nearly half an hour at the Al-Hakim Mosque.
During his Egypt tour, PM Modi will also visit the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery to pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt during the First World War.
Notably, PM Modi is visiting Egypt at the invitation of the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which he extended in January 2023 when he graced India's Republic Day celebrations as the 'Chief Guest.'
The visit is of significance as Egypt has traditionally been one of India's most important trading partners in the African continent.
India-Egypt Bilateral Trade Agreement has been in operation since March 1978 and is based on the Most Favored Nation clause, according to the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
Furthermore, India and Egypt share a close political understanding based on a long history of contact and cooperation in bilateral, regional and global issues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit has taken India-US strategic and commercial relations to greater heights, paving the way for immense opportunities for bilateral engagement, Assocham said on Saturday.
Modi left for Egypt on Saturday after concluding his US State visit during which he held talks with President Joe Biden and addressed the Joint Session of Congress.
''Prime Minister's visit is being viewed as a turning point in Indo-US relations in a fast-changing world order which would see both the countries emerge as the most influential economies with strategic prowess in the unfolding international political economy,'' Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said.
Baba Kalyani, Chairman and MD of Bharat Forge Limited and founding president of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers has hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden for emphasising on co-production of critical systems and platforms "identifying avenues for joint research and development in advanced technologies."
Kalyani termed the PM Modi's US visit, a reflection of "strengthening engagement between two great and large democracies."
He said, "Historic state visit being accorded to PM Modi by US President Joe Biden is reflective of strengthening engagement between two great and large democracies, to scale up the Indian market and its requirements, combined with our overlapping strategic interest, create both an opportunity and imperative for businesses on either side...to expand bilateral trade & commerce, to strengthen engagement including strategic sectors such as defence, space, 5G, semi-conductor amongst others and collaborate to co-develop critical and emerging technologies."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a cheerful Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Center and expressed happiness over the American government's decision to return more than 100 stolen antiquities back to India.
PM Modi on the last day of his maiden US State visit interacted with the Indian diaspora at Ronald Reagan Center here on Friday (Local Time). "I am happy that the American government has decided to return more than 100 antiquities of India that were stolen from us. These antiquities had reached the international markets. I express my gratitude to the American government for this," PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US was not about leveraging India to be a "counterweight" to China but to deepen ties, including defence cooperation, between the largest democracies of the world, a top White House official has said.
Prime Minister Modi on Saturday left for Egypt after concluding his state visit during which he held wide-ranging talks with President Joe Biden and addressed the joint session of the US Congress.
He visited the US at the invitation of President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
“This state visit wasn't about China. Look, India has challenges with China as well, right on their doorstep, but also more broadly in the region. And, clearly, the challenges presented by the People's Republic of China to both our nations were on the agenda yesterday, no question about that," said John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi successfully concluded the US State visit, actor-turned-politician Hema Malini penned a note praising his leadership qualities.
Taking to Instagram, she wrote, "A truly iconic meeting between the US President and our Hon PM Modi ji. So many issues discussed snd sorted out and the world watched in awe as Modi ji got standing ovations throughout his speech addressing the US Congress. A totally proud moment for all Indians as we witnessed the sea of approval that Modi ji's address invoked as also by the number of autographs he signed! A true leader indeed."
Johnnie Moore, former Commissioner of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said, "I met the PM. I thanked him for not only coming to the US but also bringing together Americans. America can learn a lot from India. India is the most pluralistic country in the entire world. It is a laboratory of religions. I went to India to learn about religion & one of the remarkable things about India is, there are more languages & more religions and more diverse people in that single democracy than any example in human history - something we should be celebrating every chance that we can get...
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has welcomed India as the 27th Artemis Accords signatory and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated that they are "very pleased" to grow the partnership with India on Earth and in space.
"On behalf of NASA, on behalf of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are very pleased to grow our partnership with India here on Earth and in space," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in the press release.
India's multi-faceted relations with Egypt, which was elevated to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ this year, will receive further impetus with the first state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to this key Middle East nation, India's ambassador here has said.
Prime Minister Modi will be arriving here Saturday evening at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. It will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1997.
"We are very much looking forward to the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Cairo from 24th to 25th of June. The visit is a very historic occasion because the last bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister was as far back as 1997," Ajit Gupte, India's Ambassador to Egypt, to PTI in an interview.
Bringing good news for US visa aspirants, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday informed that two new American consulates will be opened in India - Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. Read more here
The Prime Minister has departed for Egypt for a two-day visit.
Upon arrival in Egypt, PM Modi will have various engagements with the leaders and Indian diaspora there. He will spend nearly half an hour at the Al-Hakim Mosque.
During his Egypt tour, PM Modi will also visit the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery to pay tribute to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt during the First World War.
Notably, PM Modi is visiting Egypt at the invitation of the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which he extended in January 2023 when he graced India's Republic Day celebrations as the 'Chief Guest.'
The visit is of significance as Egypt has traditionally been one of India's most important trading partners in the African continent.
India-Egypt Bilateral Trade Agreement has been in operation since March 1978 and is based on the Most Favored Nation clause, according to the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
Furthermore, India and Egypt share a close political understanding based on a long history of contact and cooperation in bilateral, regional and global issues.
Indian community in Egypt is ecstatic and upbeat about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to the country. The community members said that they were waiting for PM Modi for the last nine years ever since he became the Prime Minister of India and are excited to welcome him.
While speaking to ANI, Deepti Singh, President of the Indian Community in Egypt, said, "It's going to be great to have PM Narendra Modi here, and we are very excited to welcome him. The Indian community in Egypt has been waiting for him to visit Egypt ever since he became the Prime Minister. Everyone is preparing for this visit."
"People of Egypt like India because of civilization and Bollywood. We are proud of the work done by PM Modi, starting from infrastructure to COVID-19 vaccine. Modi ji has proved his mettle and is one of the most powerful leaders of the world. Our image in Egypt has got better due to PM Modi. We now feel proud and honoured when people tell us that you are coming from the biggest economy," she said.
Wrapping up his four-day State Visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that a new and glorious journey of India-US ties has begun and the world is watching the two great democracies strengthening their bond.
Addressing a cheerful gathering of Indian community members at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here, Modi said the full potential of partnership between the two countries is yet to be realised and that their ties is all about making the world better again in the 21st century.
The two countries have seen convergence on global issues and their growing ties will be a boost for "make in India and make for the world" efforts, he said, referring to agreements on technology transfer, boosting manufacturing and strengthening industrial supply chain.
During his address to the Indian diaspora in Washington, DC on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed that a Tamil Studies Chair will be established here at the University of Houston.
He said that this is the best time to invest as much as possible in India.
"This is the best time to invest as much as possible in India. The research centre of Google's AI in India will work on more than 100 languages. With the help of the Indian Government, a Tamil Studies Chair will be established here at the University of Houston," PM Modi said.
Concluding his maiden State Visit to the United States on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Egypt for a two-day visit to the Arab nation.
"Concluding a very special USA visit, where I got to take part in numerous programmes and interactions aimed at adding momentum to the India-USA friendship. Our nations will keep working together to make our planet a better place for the coming generations," tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Director of the Chair in the US-India Policy Studies at Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a top national security think tank, Richard M Rossow has said that it was known that defence was going to be highlighted during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit to the US and certainly it was.
He said that it is time to get this relationship between India and the US beyond the national capitals.
"There are a lot of developed companies that are going to make investments in India and some research partnerships will also take place. We knew that defence was going to be highlighted and certainly it was. We need to get this relationship beyond our national capitals, we need our state governments to get to work more together," Richard M Rossow told ANI.
After concluding his maiden State Visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs for Cairo, Egypt.
"Concluding a very special USA visit, where I got to take part in numerous programmes and interactions aimed at adding momentum to the India-USA friendship. Our nations will keep working together to make our planet a better place for the coming generations," tweets Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the India-US partnership is not of convenience but one of conviction, shared commitments and compassion.
In his address to young entrepreneurs and professionals at the John F Kennedy Center here, Modi said whenever India has become strong, the world has benefited.
The prime minister said this was seen during the Covid pandemic. When the world needed medicines, India increased its production and provided medicines, he said at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.
