Newly inducted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to accept United States’ invite.
After much speculation regarding the new Indian Prime Minister -Narendra Modi – visiting the United States, sources are now saying that Modi is most likely to accept Obama administration’s invite.
U.S President Barack Obama had congratulated the Indian Prime Minister after his landslide victory in the 2014 Indian general elections. Ever since the formation of the new cabinet, reports about Modi giving a cold shoulder to the US were doing the rounds. The alledged reports of friction stem from the issue of Narendra Modi being denied a visa to the United States in 2005. The visa denial came after the 2002 Gujarat riots under the Chief Ministership of Narendra Modi. However, the Supreme Court of India has cleared the now Prime Minister’s name by giving him a clean chit. Earlier this year the US ambassador to India had met Modi, this was a time when opinion polls favoured a win for Bharatiya Janta Party – the winning side led by Modi.
If the two leaders leave behind the unsavoury past marred by diplomatic rows and visa issues, they can explore a great potential for strengthening of bi-lateral ties.
The United States and India need to jointly address the issues of economy and foreign investment.
The Obama administration is hoping to pump annual bi-lateral trade figures to $500 billion. Modi is also reportedly reviewing the FDI curtails in the Indian e-commerce industry, raising hopes for American giants like Amazon to directly sell their products in India.
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs in the United States- Nisha Biswal- is set to visit New Delhi on Friday June 6,2014, for the first meeting with the new administration.
Biswal is expected to meet Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and it is possible that Modi’s trip could be announced at the end of her visit.
Photo Credits: Open Magazine
