U.S. President Joe 𒆙Biden plans to host India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a s🌸tate dinner this summer, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The White House aims for the state dinner to take place in June but the timing could slip, the people familiar said. A spokesman for the National Security C꧙ouncil declined to comment, according to the Bloomberg report.
The formal state visit underscores the deepening relationship between the US and India as the administration 🦩promotes policies and initiatives for a free and open Indo-Pacific to counter what it perceives as a growing threat f💫rom China.
Biden is also expected to see Modi in Australia in May when the countries convene for the Quad summit along with the leaders of Australia and Japan. Given that India is hosting a series of even💛ts this year related to G-20 leading to a summit🔜 in September, which among others would also be attended by Biden, it is reliably learnt that officials from the two sides are looking for appropriate dates in June and July.
At least a c🐻ouple of days are required for the state visit, which among other things includes an address to the joint session of the US Congress and a state dinner at the White House. In addition to G-20, Modi has packed domestic and international commitments till the fall, before he hits the campaign trail for a series of crucial state assembly elections later this year.
Biden hosted French President Emanualꦜ Macron for his first state dinner last D💧ecember and has scheduled one for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol scheduled on April 26.
(With inputs from PTI)
