NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to the United States this week for a visit billed as a turning point for bilateral relations, with deeper cooperation in defence industry and sharing high tech-nology in sharp focus.
According to Indian media reports, Modi is scheduled to land in New York to-morrow (Tuesday).
The visit is expected to give India access to critical American technologies Washington rarely shares with non-allies, strengthening a new bond that is underpinned by not just global politics but also business and economics.
Washington and New Delhi, whose relationship was marked by mutual suspi-cion during the Cold War, have been moving closer for over two decades now with successive US presidents displaying bipartisan support for stronger ties with the emerging Asian economy and regional power. President Joe Biden has built on that legacy and expanded cooperation as the United States sees India as a vital partner in its efforts to push back against China’s expanding influence worldwide and strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific.
Washington also wants to wean India away from its traditional defence partner Russia. New Delhi continues to do business with Moscow and has increased its purchases of cheap Russian oil in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, much to the frustration of the West.
India too has overcome its “hesitations of history” — as Modi put it in a 2016 address to US Congress — and looked West amid its own military tensions and fraying ties with China.
Though Modi has made several previous visits to the United States, this will be his first with the full diplomatic status of an official state visit, just the third of Biden’s presidency and third by any Indian leader.
“It’s a milestone in our relationship … It is a very significant visit, very im-portant visit,” India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra told reporters on Mon-day.
A key achievement expected to be showcased is in the area of defence coopera-tion, especially between military industries of the two countries, Kwatra said, as India seeks to produce more weapons and equipment at home for itself and also for export. –Agencies
