PM Narendra Modi is likely to seek support of Switzerland and Mexico for India's membership of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group. (File photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets off tomorrow on a five-nation visit to Afghanistan, Qatar, Switzerland, the US and Mexico during which the focus will be to broaden India's trade, energy and security cooperation with them and inject a new momentum in ties.
PM Modi is likely to seek support of Switzerland and Mexico for India's membership of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group as both these countries are key members of the elite group. The issue is likely to figure during PM Modi's meeting with Mr Obama in Washington.
During his talks with the leadership of Switzerland, the prime minister is also likely to raise the issue of black money stashed by Indians in Swiss banks.
The prime minister will first travel to Afghanistan where he will inaugurate the Afghan-India Friendship Dam, earlier known as Salma Dam, in Herat province, along with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Both the leaders will also hold talks on a range of issues including current situation in Afghanistan.
From Afghanistan, PM Modi will travel to energy-rich Qatar tomorrow itself and from there he will leave for a two day visit to Switzerland on Sunday.
Asked at a press briefing on PM's visit whether the issue of black money will be raised by PM Modi during his talks with Swiss leaders, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said both the countries are in touch on the issue.
"We are in touch with the Swiss government under the DTAA (Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement) mandate and we have had some discussions on this and we have a few planned in the near future. We have received support from the Swiss authorities on exchange of information on tax data between the two countries.
"We do hope to engage as early as possible in the automatic exchange of information with Switzerland and this has been conveyed to Swiss tax authorities," he said.
On India's bid for NSG membership, Mr Jaishankar said India has been eyeing membership of the premier group for many, many years and that it has made "lot of progress" on that.
"I think we have made lot of progress and that has led us to formally apply for the NSG membership some days ago. We are engaged with all NSG members regarding this issue and Switzerland is definitely an important member and definitely, I would expect it to come up," he said.
India has formally applied for membership of the NSG on May 12.
From Switzerland, the prime minister travels to Washington on June 6 where he will have a packed schedule including an address to a joint session of the US Congress. He will be the fifth Indian prime minister to do so.
PM Modi will begin his US visit on June 6 by paying tributes at the Arlington National Cemetery. He will then meet heads of a number of American think tanks and will attend an event to repatriate Indian antiquity by the US.
On June 7, the Prime Minister will hold wide-ranging talks with President Obama on the entire gamut of bilateral ties. The meeting will be followed by a launch to be hosted by Mr Obama for PM Modi.
In the afternoon, PM Modi will meet business leaders and address the US-India Business Council during which he is expected to highlight measures taken by his government to ensure ease of doing business.
On June 8, PM Modi will address the a joint meeting of the US Congress which will be followed by a lunch to be hosted by the Speaker. A reception is also being organised for PM Modi by the House and Senate Committees on foreign relations and the India Caucus. The prime minister will attend a community reception as well.
The prime minister will be staying at Blair House, the President's guesthouse.
"The US visit is sort of a consolidation visit...They (Modi and Obama) have work together to take forward the relationship," said the Foreign Secretary while highlighting progress of bilateral ties in the last two years including in areas of trade and defence. The two countries will come out with a joint statement.
Asked whether PM's visit to Mexico and Switzerland was added at the last minute, the Foreign Secretary said the idea of visit to Switzerland arose from a meeting the prime minister had with Swiss President on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit earlier this year.
He said visit to Mexico was being considered since September last year.