U.S. PRESIDENT LIKELY TO VISIT INDIA IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR

US President Joe Biden is likely to visit India in September this year to participate in the G20 meetings hosted by India. Sources told  The Daily Guardian that a high-level meeting between the officials of India and the US has already taken place to discuss the details related to Biden’s visit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may also visit the US White House later this year. “Dates are being finalized for PM Modi’s visit to Washington,” sources said, adding, “Officials of both sides are in talks to confirm visits of PM Modi to US and President Biden to India.” “Details would be given a final shape soon. But officially the visits would be announced later,” sources said, adding, the upcoming visits figured during NSA Ajit.

Doval’s meeting with his US counterpart Jake Sullivan and Secretary Antony Blinken in Washington last week. “US is keen to welcome PM Modi this summer,” an official told TDG. President Biden is learnt to have formally invited PM Modi for a state visit, source said. India is hosting a series of meetings this year related to G-20. The G-20 summit would take place in September.

Diplomats at South Block are of the view that PM Modi would prefer to visit the US after the September summit which may be attended also by Biden. PM Modi and President Biden are slated to meet during the G-20 meetings later this year. The two leaders will also come face to face at a mid-year meeting of the Quad countries. PM Modi is expected to hold talks with heads of various other countries as well in September. President Biden has expressed his wish to ramp up existing strategic and security ties with India in view of the growing assertiveness by China in the Indo-Pacific and other significant regions where both Delhi and Washington have keen interest. “NSA Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are said to have decided to hold some more meetings with their counterparts to finalise the dates and agenda for all the talks that PM Modi would be having with Biden,” sources said.