PM Narendra Modi - Joe Biden’s Relationship So Far: A Brief Overview

New Delhi: Prime Minister Modi will embark on his first state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in June. The US president and the First Lady will also host Modi at a state dinner on June 22. On the other hand, the American President is expected to travel to India in September to attend the G20 Leaders Summit. PM Modi is expected to start his US trip from New York, where he will lead the International Yoga Day events on June 21. He will then travel to Washington DC for the state visit. He is also likely to speak to the Indian community in Chicago. During his visit, PM Modi will also address a Joint Session of the US Congress for the second time and it is indeed historic.

Strategic Partnership

The Biden administration is playing the long game by inviting PM Modi despite some challenges in bilateral ties, according to Rick Rossow, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The US is trying to take the relationship to a new level in terms of commercial and security relations, even though India has been reluctant to take a stronger stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Areas of Concern

Visa Delay: The long wait time for visa interviews in India is affecting people-to-people ties.

Trade-Commerce: India has focused on domestic support programmes and selective trade agreements, while the US has announced the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. There is scepticism about whether they can match up to the free trade agreements that exist.

Tariff Disputes: The US revoked India’s GSP status, which gave tariff preferences to Indian exporters. India imposed countervailing duties against the US steel and aluminium tariffs.

Areas of Cooperation

Defence Technology: The US is becoming a major supplier of critical defence technology to India.

Investment: The US is the largest investor in India and the largest goods trading partner. India has a goods trade surplus with the US.

Service Sector: India’s IT services market is largely built around servicing and partnerships with the US. The US is a critical partner for India’s current and future needs.