PM Modi's visit will celebrate 'deep partnership' between India and US: Blinken

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US next month will celebrate the "deep partnership" between the two countries, America's top diplomat said on Sunday as he met his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar here.

Modi will embark on his state visit to the US next month on an invitation by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The US president and the First Lady will also host Modi at a state dinner on June 22. His visit to the US comes ahead of the G20 Summit being hosted by India in September.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had a "great discussion" with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on the margins of the G7 summit.

"We look forward to hosting Indian Prime Minister @NarendraModi in June, whose visit will celebrate the deep partnership between the United States and India," Blinken tweeted on Sunday.

Jaishankar thanked Blinken and said he was looking forward to the visit.

"Thanks @SecBlinken. Was great to catch up! Looking forward to PM @narendramodi’s visit," tweeted Jaishankar, who accompanied the Prime Minister on his visit to Japan.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi and President Biden shared a tight hug as they greeted each other here at the G7 Summit in this Japanese city.

After becoming Prime Minister in 2014, Modi has made more than half a dozen trips to the United States for bilateral and multilateral meetings with all three American presidents, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Biden. This is for the first time Modi has been invited for an official state visit, a privilege accorded to America's close friends and allies.

His last visit to Washington was in September 2021 at the invitation of President Biden for a bilateral meeting. He had also attended the first in-person Quad Leaders' Summit hosted by Biden.