PM Modi’s US Visit Stage: $2.5-bn Attack Chopper Deal and Kerry-Sushma Dialogue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in the US on Wednesday for a visit centred on an Indian community reception for him at San Jose, and meetings with Fortune 500 CEOs in New York and the Moghuls of Silicon Valley. He will compete with China, the other Asian giant for attention as Xi will be around for a week.

$2.5bn Attack Helicopter

The Union Cabinet cleared the $2.5 billion Apache attack helicopter deal ahead of the September 23-29 visit.

Also on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker led their respective delegations in the “Strategic and Commercial” dialogue, an elevation of the dialogue agreed upon during President Barack Obama’s January visit.

Modi is scheduled to meet President Obama on September 28, on the last working day of his visit. He will address the UN Sustainable Development summit, where the post-2015 agenda will be adopted, and attend a special summit on climate change called by the UN Secretary-General.

Visit to Ireland

Narendra Modi will be paying a visit to Ireland on September 23. During his visit the Prime Minister will hold discussions with Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland. The Irish Prime Minister will also host a Working Lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to review bilateral relations between the two countries as well as to discuss regional and global matters of mutual interest.

Ireland has a 26,000 strong Indian Community. Engagement with the diaspora provides another commonality between India and Ireland, which has a 70 million strong diaspora spread across the world.

The Prime Minister will depart from Dublin for New York the same day.