US President Joe Biden bonds with PM Modi, transforming India-US ties
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden received Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington DC for the second leg of his official state visit on Wednesday.
They were seen chatting for about a minute and then they posed for pictures. The trio enjoyed a musical tribute to the regions of India, performed by youth dancers from Studio Dhoom, according to the White House.
Modi will have a private engagement today at the White House where the Bidens will host the Indian prime minister for an intimate dinner, a day before the high-profile state dinner. They will be joined by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.
The first couple will present Prime Minister Modi with a handmade, antique American book galley from the early 20th Century, according to the White House. They also present the prime minister with separate gifts.
While Biden will gift Modi a vintage American camera, accompanied by an archival facsimile print of George Eastman’s Patent of the first Kodak camera, and a hardcover book on American wildlife photography, Jill Biden will gift him a signed, first edition copy of ‘Collected Poems of Robert Frost’.
Upon arriving at the Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted with a ceremonial welcome and guard of honour amidst the drizzling rain.
“Reached Washington DC. The warmth of the Indian community and the blessings of Indra Devta made the arrival even more special,” Modi tweeted.
Earlier, he visited the National Science Foundation with Jill Biden in Alexandria, Virginia to highlight the US and India’s shared priorities around education and workforce. During the visit, the duo met students from the US and India who are learning skills to succeed in industries vital to the economies of the two countries.
“Honoured that @FLOTUS @DrBiden joined us in a special event relating to skill development. Skilling is a top priority for India and we are dedicated to creating a proficient workforce that can boost enterprise and value creation,” Modi said in a tweet.