PM Modi’s US visit: Indian envoy Taranjit Sandhu shared six ‘broad elements’

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Sandhu said, “The Prime Minister’s visit to the United States has six broad elements. So, the first is the bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden. The second is the meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris. The third is the Quad. Summit. Fourth is the individual interaction with the Prime Ministers of Australia and the Prime Minister of Japan, then talks with select industry leaders and finally, there is the United Nations section.

“We are still under pressure from COVID and the US in particular, but President Biden has gone ahead and taken the initiative to invite PM Modi for his first face-to-face interaction,” the envoy said.

Talking about PM Modi’s meeting with Biden, Sandhu said that this is not the first time they are meeting in 2014, when PM Modi visited for the first time, then Vice President Joe Biden took him for lunch. Hosted and in 2016, during this time presided over a historic address to the US Congress Vice President. “So, it’s a continuation of that conversation.”

Talking on the relationship between India and the US, the envoy said that there has been steady progress in the last 20 years, be it the then President Clinton, then the then President George W Bush and then the then President Obama and then of course, the then President. Trump, but during President Biden’s first 100 days, there have been intense talks between the two countries despite COVID-19 and other borders.

“You will remember that there have been 3 direct phone calls between 2 of them, 2 major summits,” he said, adding, “We have had a lot of talks, also met with US cabinet ministers and our foreign affairs The Minister, and the Foreign Secretary came here. So, along with the intensity of the talks, the content has also increased.”

He said that the Quad is a grouping of four like-minded countries (India, US, Japan and Australia) that have come together to focus on international issues and problems.

“The first concrete example of Covid collaboration was vaccines. So, it’s American technology, Japanese finance, Australian lift power and India’s production capacity, and they are together, we’re going to manufacture 1 billion doses in India, and that It is very much part and parcel of the statement that the Quad has come out,” the envoy said.

The envoy also pointed to the issue of technology and said, “On the other hand, there is the issue of technology and emerging technologies, again, it has the strength of the four countries, and they are coming together. The third is that of the environment in climate change.” Issue.”

“You know India has one of the largest renewable energy programs, and solar is an important part of it, and battery technology is important again. And here’s all four countries coming together in their commitment. This summit In this, they will have some other areas in which they will be for movement, such as infrastructure like semiconductors, etc. So overall, it will also provide an opportunity to discuss a number of issues including global challenges,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the global COVID-19 summit hosted by US President Joe Biden. Starting his 4-day visit today, he will address the UN General Assembly and attend the Quad Summit as well as hold bilateral meetings with Biden at the White House.

This story has been published without modification in text from a wire agency feed. Only the title has been changed.