What To Expect From PM Modi's 1st State Visit To US

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left New Delhi for his three-day landmark state visit to the United States today. The Prime Minister has been invited by US President Joe Biden who will be hosting him for a state dinner on June 22. 

The visit is being seen as a key milestone to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two nations. The Prime Minister's schedule involves a rare address to the joint session of the US Congress, meetings with business leaders and Indian expats, and a state dinner at the White House.

Here's what to expect from the prime minister's US visit:

1. A potential jet engine manufacturing deal which can prove transformational to Indian airspace is anticipated. General Electric may produce the GE-F414 jet engine in India, in a multi-million-dollar deal with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL).
2. The prime minister is also expected to discuss India's trade ties with the US during his bilateral talks with President Biden at the White House. A major topic of discussion can be the visa wait time issue that has seen Indians facing a waiting period of up to 600 days for the process.
3. The US is also expected to ask India to join the trade pillar under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
4. The prime minister will also address a joint sitting of the United States Congress on June 22 – the first Indian prime minister to do so twice.
5. He is expected to meet business leaders of 20 top American companies and is also expected to address a gathering of more than 1,500 diaspora and business leaders.