File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with U.S. President Joe Biden.
| Photo Credit: AP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United States in June to meet with President Joe Biden, said U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti said in Mumbai on Wednesday (May 17).

“This will be India’s first official state visit to the United States in 14 years and just the third official state visit hosted by the Biden Administration. Today, we stand at an important moment in history,” he said.

Although Mr. Modi has visited the U.S. five times in the past after he became the Prime Minister for the first time in 2014, this will be his first state visit to the country. Before Mr. Modi, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the U.S. on a state visit in November 2009. Mr. Singh was the second Indian leader to be on a state visit after the then President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who visited the country on a state visit in June 1963.

Mr. Garcetti who is on his maiden official visit to Maharashtra said that before coming to India, he spoke to President Biden about his vision for the U.S.-India partnership, and the President stressed just how pivotal the current moment is.

“It’s pivotal for the whole planet, of course, but especially for our two countries, who have never worked closely together as we do today,” he said.

The U.S. is now India’s biggest trading partner with $191 billion in bilateral trade last year and India now sends the most students of any country to the United States, he said and added the militaries of the two countries train together.

“We are protecting an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, connected, prosperous, secure and resilient. And our leading companies collaborate to solve global challenges in inclusive development and renewable energy. We are jointly addressing global health and development challenges, confronting climate change, and delivering next generation critical and emerging technologies. We are showing the world how the United States and India or better together,” the Ambassador said.

Mr. Garcetti recalled his first visit to India and Mumbai as a teenager where he learned so much. “I learned how deeply we are connected to people everywhere on this planet – no matter where we live, what language we speak, how much money we have, or who we worship. I learned the importance of building a world where every person has an opportunity to belong. As I return to India now, that early understanding has never been clearer. In some ways, it feels like I never left,” he said.

“Of course, in other ways, the differences are mind-blowing. As a teenager, I never could have imagined the growth and progress that India has achieved in the past three decades. India is emerging as a leading power in the world,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Garcetti met Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani. “Great meeting with Mukesh Ambani to learn about Reliance’s innovations in the renewable energy sector, and exploring avenues for more #USIndiaTogether economic cooperation,” U.S. Envoy said in a tweet.

On Tuesday, he met Shah Rukh Khan at the actor’s residence ‘Mannat’ and discussed Bollywood and its ‘huge cultural impact’ across the globe.

Mr. Garcetti took to Twitter to share about his visit to Khan’s mansion. “Is it time for my Bollywood debut? Had a wonderful chat with superstar @iamsrk at his residence Mannat, learning more about the film industry in Mumbai and discussing the huge cultural impact of Hollywood and Bollywood across the globe,” he said in a tweet.