US: Members of Indian diaspora await arrival of PM Modi outside Capitol Hill

Washington DC [US], June 23 : Members of the Indian diaspora and members of the Tibetan community are awaiting the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside Capitol Hill, who is currently in Washington on the second leg of his state visit to the US.

In a display of support and enthusiasm, the members of the Indian community were seen standing outside the Capitol Hill building on Thursday (local time) with a banner that reads "America welcomes Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi."

The banner had pictures of both PM Modi, and US President Joe Biden on either side. PM Modi is set to address the Joint Sitting of the US Congress shortly.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the Joint Sitting of the US Congress, a gathering of Indian diaspora and Tibetan community members assembled outside the US Capitol, expressing their enthusiasm by chanting slogans such as 'Bharat Mata ki Jai,' 'Vande Mataram,' and 'Welcome Modi.'

Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the US took place in 2014, during which he had a working visit and delivered his inaugural speech at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In 2016, he returned to attend the Nuclear Security Summit and held a meeting with then-President Barack Obama at the White House. That same year, PM Modi made another trip to the US and addressed a range of topics, including terrorism, climate change, and the strong Indo-US partnership, in his first speech to the US Congress.

Prime Minister Modi is currently on his sixth visit and maiden State visit to the US.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently undertaking his inaugural State visit to the United States, joins the esteemed ranks of former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the only Indian leaders to have been accorded this honour.

Prior to Prime Minister Modi, the United States hosted former President Radhakrishnan in June 1963 and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009 as State guests. Although a total of nine Indian Prime Ministers have visited the United States during their terms, it is important to note that not all of these visits were classified as official State visits.

In 2017, PM Modi went to the US on a three-day visit. He was hosted by the then President Donald Trump at the White House for a 'working dinner'. During this visit, Prime Minister Modi also addressed the Indian diaspora at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

His visit in 2019 was one of his most significant, as he addressed the Indian-American community in Houston at an event named 'Howdy Modi!' The event was attended by 50,000 people and also addressed by then-President Donald Trump, who later held bilateral talks with PM Modi.

Earlier, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi was hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for an intimate dinner at the White House.

He will be hosted at a State dinner at the White House later today. Over 400 guests are expected to attend the State dinner in PM Modi's honour.

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