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Biden and Naruhito, but no Modi: throng of leaders expected at Queen’s funeral

As well as a sad occasion, the Westminster Abbey farewell will be a global spectacle, and a diplomatic opportunity for the UK

• Death of the Queen and King Charles’s accession - latest updates

India’s president will represent her country at the Queen’s funeral on Monday, meaning the prime minister, Narendra Modi, is not expected to be among the hundreds of foreign leaders due to attend the global spectacle.

A quarter of the 2,000 places at Westminster Abbey have been reserved for heads of state and their partners, with Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Naruhito, the emperor of Japan, the best-known guests confirmed as coming from abroad.

Invitations were sent out by the UK to heads of state of nearly every country, so by protocol the invite will have gone to Droupadi Murmu, the first person from India’s tribal communities to hold the largely ceremonial role of president.

In some cases the head of state has chosen to pass the invitation on, with the approval of the Foreign Office. On Wednesday, Turkey said it would be represented by Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the country’s foreign minister, not the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Modi called the UK prime minister, Liz Truss, on Saturday to express his condolences following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last week. But last Thursday, hours before her final illness was known, Modi delivered a speech urging India to shed its colonial ties, in a ceremony to rename a street once named after George V.

The presence of so many world leaders makes the event a diplomatic opportunity for the UK. Lord Ricketts, a former national security adviser, said: “The funeral of a figure admired and respected globally plus a nation united in mourning will project a much more positive image of Britain in the world.”

The former senior diplomat added that the sudden nature of the event meant “it won’t be an occasion for detailed discussions”, but it could help open doors with the EU, and would give Truss a chance to walk back comments she made about Macron in August in which she said it was unclear if the French president was “friend or foe”.

Foreign leaders will fly in over the weekend, and despite a Foreign Office request that leaders arrive in commercial aircraft to avoid congestion, Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will use the government’s private jet to fly into the UK and bring with him leaders from at least four Pacific island nations.

Details of Biden’s arrival have not been made public but he is expected to use his own transport and security detail, and will be exempt from a Foreign Office plan to transport leaders by bus to Westminster Abbey to reduce traffic. The president spoke to Charles III on Wednesday, recalling the Queen’s kindness and hospitality, according to the White House.

The King will hold a reception at Buckingham Palace on Sunday, the principal diplomatic event before the funeral on Monday. Immediately after the main event, the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, will host a leaders’ reception at nearby Church House, as the royal family head to Windsor for the final committal.

Leaders with commitments to address the UN general assembly, including Biden, are likely to fly out of the UK later on Monday – with final details still being confirmed – although other dignitaries are expected to leave the following day.

Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, will leave their homeland on Saturday and head back on Tuesday, government officials in Tokyo confirmed. It is their first foreign trip abroad as heads of state, and it is rare for Japanese emperors to attend funerals, which are considered impure.

Others due to attend include Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern. Brazil’s controversial president, Jair Bolsonaro, is expected, as is the Irish taoiseach, Micheál Martin, and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as monarchs from Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.

But there has been relative silence so far from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, all ruled by autocratic royal families with close ties to Britain. The octogenarian Saudi monarch, King Salman, is not thought likely to attend, meaning the invite would most likely pass to Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince, accused by the US of ordering the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Britain has snubbed a small number of countries because of political differences. It emerged on Wednesday that rulers from neither Syria, Venezuela nor Afghanistan’s Taliban had been invited, following the previous blacklisting of Russia, Belarus and Myanmar, the first two because of the war in Ukraine.

North Korea and Nicaragua – with which the UK has ice-cold diplomatic relations – are being asked to send representatives at ambassadorial level, a signal of disapproval that has already been sent to Iran.

The closing date for RSVPs is Thursday, and further details about the guest list are likely to be revealed then. Officials are still wrestling with a seating plan that will reflect seniority and status. Arrangements are also being made for VIPs to visit the Queen’s coffin to pay their personal respects over the weekend.

Bronwen Maddox, the director of the Chatham House thinktank, said she believed the funeral would “bring together world leaders in a more intimate way than the UN general assembly” – and help the UK project an image of unity amid the ceremonial display, despite changing both prime minister and monarch in less than a week.

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'Will Never Forget Her Warmth And Kindness': PM Modi's Tribute To Queen Elizabeth II

"she personified dignity and decency in public life. pained by her demise," pm modi tweeted..

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday.

Taking to Twitter, Modi wrote, “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times. She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life. Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of UK in this sad hour.”

I had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture. pic.twitter.com/3aACbxhLgC — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 8, 2022

“I had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture,” PM Modi tweeted.

Queen Elizabeth, the longest-reigning monarch of Britain and the nation's figurehead for seven decades, passed away on Thursday. 

"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

"The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow," the statement added.

Her eldest son Charles, 73, automatically becomes the king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

According to reports, all the Queen's children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after the doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.

The Queen’s grandson, Prince William, was also there, with his brother, Prince Harry, on his way.

The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on April 21, 1926. After the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, she came to the throne at the age of 25.

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PM Modi attends special dinner hosted by Bhutan King| Photos

B hutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck hosted a special dinner for Prime Minister Modi during his recent visit to the Himalayan country recently. Pictures from the special dinner hosted for the PM showcased the friendship and camaraderie shared between the two leaders.

At the private dinner hosted at the Lingkana Palace, the entire family of the king of Bhutan, including Queen Jetsun Pema and their three children, Jigme Namgyel, Jigme Ugyen, and Sonam Yangden were present.

Pictures from the dinner also showed PM Modi interacting with the two young princes while Princess Sonam cradled in Queen Pema's lap.

In other photos, the Prime Minister was seen along with the children of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

PM Modi was also conferred with the ‘Order of Druk Gyalpo’ during his visit to the Himalayan kingdom. He became the first foreign dignitary and the fourth person overall to receive the honour. The ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’ is at the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan. PM Modi was given the honour for his “outstanding contribution to the growth of India-Bhutan relations.”

Following the prime minister visit to Bhutan, Bhutanese King Wangchuck termed him as an ‘exceptional leader’.

In a video message, King Wangchuk said, “Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India has not only achieved remarkable success in the past decade, but also paved the way for a promising and prosperous future. We applaud and rejoice in India's accomplishments. Countries require exceptional leaders to advance and flourish, yet such leaders are rare. To find an exceptional leader must possess compassion, a deep dedication to the country, and a willingness to devote themselves entirely to the service of the country.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also thanked Bhutan King Wangchuck for the special gesture. During his State visit to Bhutan, he also inaugurated Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay.

(With inputs from ANI)

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From India with Love: When Queen rode an elephant in Varanasi, showed Modi a gift from Mahatma Gandhi

Queen Elizabeth II’s first trip to India was in 1961 and she touched a chord. When she visited the Gandhi memorial, she took off her sandals to keep with Indian tradition. In 2015, she invited Narendra Modi for lunch at Buckingham Palace

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II was the world’s most-travelled monarch. In her 70 years on the throne, she visited 140 countries, spending almost four years on state visits.

During her travails and the course of her life, she had many encounters with Indian greats. The Queen visited the country not once but thrice, meeting prime ministers and presidents, visiting monuments, and touching many a heart.

Also read: Queen Elizabeth II death live updates

In the event of her death on Thursday, we take a short trip down memory lane.

When Queen removed sandals before visiting Raj Ghat

In 1952, Elizabeth II was the first monarch to ascend to the throne after India fought the British and became independent. She made her first visit to the country nine years after becoming queen in 1961 with her husband Prince Phillip , Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen was the first British monarch to visit India in 50 years. Her grandfather King George V and Queen Mary had visited in 1911, decades before India got Independence.

Elizabeth II and her husband were received at Delhi airport by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, President Rajendra Prasad, and Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan The couple were Guests of Honour at the Republic Day Parade at the invitation of Dr Prasad.

Nehru also hosted an event at Ramlila Maidan to welcome the Queen, where she gave a speech thanking India for the warm welcome. An enduring image from the tour, shows the Queen addressing a massive crowd of several thousand people packed into Ramlila Grounds, dressed in a fur coat and hat.

Also read: Will the Kohinoor go to Camilla? Examining the murky history and fate of world’s most famous diamond

During the event, the Delhi Corporation gifted the queen a two-feet long model of the Qutub Minar made of elephant tusk. The Duke received a silver candelabra, reports India Today . In Delhi, she inaugurated the institute buildings of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on 27 January, where she planted a sapling on the premises.

The royal couple visited Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Raj Ghat in the Capital and the Queen, keeping with the Indian tradition, took off her sandals; her husband did the same. She also wrote a tribute in the visitor’s book. It is said that it’s rare for her to write anything other than her signature. Interestingly, Gandhi had personally woven a shawl as a gift to the Queen (then a princess) for her wedding. Adventures in India

The British royals’ next stop was the Taj Mahal in Agra to which they drove in an open car, waving to hundreds who gathered on the roads to get a glimpse of the monarch. They then visited Udaipur, where they got a royal welcome from the Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar and in Jaipur, they were invited to a hunting day by the maharaja and Philip reportedly killed a tiger. In Varanasi, she took an elephant ride in a royal procession, enjoying the hospitality of the erstwhile Maharaja of Benares.

The Queen and Prince Philip toured Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata — then Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta, reports news agency PTI .

Meeting Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa

The Queen’s next visit to India came two decades later in 1983. She visited the country at the invitation of then-President Giani Zail Singh. This time, the royal couple stayed at the refurbished wing of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

During this visit, the monarch met the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She also Mother Teresa and presented her with the honorary Order of the Merit, a British award for eminent service. The order is limited to only 24 members, although the British monarch can appoint foreigners as “honorary members”.

Visiting Jallianwala Bagh, Golden Temple

The Queen’s last visit to India came in 1997, as India marked 50 years of Independence. It was significant in more ways than one, as she referred to “difficult episodes” of colonial history.

“It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example,” the monarch noted in her banquet address.

The royal couple later paid a visit to the scene of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar and placed a wreath at the memorial, amid widespread calls for an apology for the thousands killed at the orders of British General Reginald Dyer during the Raj. She also visited the Golden Temple, where she was presented with a replica of the holy site.

#WATCH | Queen Elizabeth II visited Golden Temple in Punjab's Amritsar, back in the year 1997 (File footage) pic.twitter.com/wGgYUW5dI5 — ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2022

In Delhi, she met with then President KR Narayanan and his wife Usha Narayanan, and then Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral and his wife Sheela Gujral. She also visited St Thomas school in the Capital.

Hosting India’s presidents

Over the years, the sovereign has hosted three Indian presidents – Dr Radhakrishnan in 1963, R Venkataraman in 1990, and Pratibha Patil in 2009, reports PTI .

“Britain and India have a long-shared history which today is a source of great strength in building a new partnership fit for this new century,” the Queen said in her state banquet address for President Patil at Buckingham Palace.

“Nearly two million of our own citizens are tied by descent and enduring family links to India. They represent one of the United Kingdom’s most dynamic and successful communities… relations between our two countries are built on strong and deep foundations, and are set fair for the 21st century,” she added.

Meeting Manmohan Singh and Modi

In the two last decades, the Queen met former PM Dr Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times.

In April 2009, the Queen met Dr Manmohan Singh during a reception hosted for G20 leaders at Buckingham Palace in London.

She met Modi during his visits to the United Kingdom in 2015 and 2018. In 2015, the PM was invited to lunch at Buckingham Palace in London. Her Royal Highness gave him a tour of the palace and showcased the royal art and artefact collection.

I had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture. pic.twitter.com/3aACbxhLgC — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 8, 2022

The second meeting between the duo took place in April 2018 when PM Modi was on a four-day visit to the UK. He met Elizabeth II ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which saw a gathering of 53 heads of government. This meeting again culminated in a royal dinner gala which was hosted by the Queen for the world leaders.

In a tribute to the Queen after her death, PM recalled the time she had shown him a gift from Mahatma Gandhi. “I will never forget her warmth and kindness. I will always cherish that gesture,” he wrote on Twitter.

With inputs from agencies

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Private Dinner By King To Highest Civilian Award, Bhutan's Special Gestures For PM Modi

It is also for the first time that an indian prime minister is being given the highest civilian award by bhutan. pm narendra modi is the first foreign national to be given this bhutanese award.

PM Narendra Modi with Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in Thimphu

From a private dinner given by the King to being conferred with the country's highest civilian honour, Bhutan's three special gestures have become a key highlight during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Himalayan nation.

In one of the gestures, it is for the first time that an Indian Prime Minister is hosted at K5 Residence Lingkana Palace.

Moreover, no Indian PM has been given a private dinner by Bhutan's King before, however, PM Modi is being given this privilege.

It is also for the first time that an Indian PM is being given the highest civilian award by Bhutan. In fact, PM Modi is the first foreign national to be given this Bhutanese award.

As per ranking and precedence established, the 'Order of the Druk Gyalpo' was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals. Since its institution, the award has been conferred upon only four eminent personalities.

Previous recipients of the award include Royal Queen Grandmother Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck in 2008; Je Thrizur Tenzin Dendup (68th Je Khenpo of Bhutan) in 2008 and Je Khenpo Trulku Ngawang Jigme Choedra in 2018. Je Khenpo is the Chief Abbot of the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan.

The highest civilian honour of Bhutan has been conferred on PM Modi for his "outstanding embodiment of national, regional, and global leadership" and for how India has become the fastest growing economy in the world.

PM Modi thanked Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck for conferring on him the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, the highest honour of the Himalayan country. He is the first foreign Head of Government to receive honour.

In his address at Tendrelthang Festival Ground in Thimphu, he said, "Today is a big day in my life as an Indian. You have honoured me with Bhutan's highest national award. Every award is special in itself, but when an award is received from another country, it strengthens the confidence that both our countries are moving in the right direction."

"This honour is not my personal achievement. It is the honour of India and 140 crore Indians. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of all Indians in this great land of Bhutan and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for this honour," he added.

In an unprecedented welcome for PM Modi in Bhutan, people lined up the streets across the entire stretch of 45 kilometers from Paro to Thimphu. Hundreds of locals awaited Prime Minister Modi's arrival at the palace.

PM Modi also interacted with the members of the Indian diaspora and the local people of Bhutan who gathered to welcome him outside the Hotel in Thimphu. The members of the Indian community expressed their happiness on meeting PM Modi.

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Ceremonies, protests greet PM Modi as he arrives on 3-day UK visit

Prime minister narendra modi arrived in london on thursday afternoon on a three-day visit to the uk that will see him holding talks with top british leadership including his counterpart david cameron..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed to Britain with a military ceremony Thursday for a visit in which he will address Parliament, lunch with Queen Elizabeth II and sign billions in business deals.

Although it’s not a state visit -- since Modi is not a head of state -- the PM is being treated to full British pomp on a trip that comes amid rising troubles for him at home, where economic growth is slowing and political criticism is growing.

After the welcome by an honour guard of Scots Guards, Modi was holding talks at Downing St. with Prime Minister David Cameron, who called the visit “a historic opportunity.”

The Twitter handle of the British PM tweeted a video of the Indian community in UK welcoming the Modi.

Modi was given a Guard of Honour at Treasury Quadrangle, Kings Charles Street, before being officially welcomed by his Britain counterpart Cameron.

India and Britain will sign a number of pacts on mutual investments and defence cooperation during the PM’s visit .

Modi’s visit to Britain is the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister in nine years after Manmohan Singh’s visit in 2006. Singh visited Britain in 2009 to attend the G-20 summit.

The Prime Minister’s agenda includes a brief stop to pay tributes at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square, followed by speeches at the Houses of Parliament and then at the Guildhall in the financial hub of London, a CEOs round-table which is likely to include representatives from major British companies like Rolls-Royce and Vodafone.

Modi will also attend a sit down lunch with Queen Elizabeth II ahead of his mega diaspora address at the Wembley Stadium in north London.

On Saturday, the PM will inaugurate a new statue of 12th Century philosopher Basaveshwara as well as a new Ambedkar memorial in London.

A visit to the Tata Motors’ owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) factory in Solihull, in the West Midlands region of England, will be the last item on his UK agenda.

On way to Britain, the PM called Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and congratulated her on her electoral victory, tweeted spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs.

Meanwhile, 200 writers – including Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan and Hari Kunzru – have urged British Prime Minister David Cameron to raise issues of freedom of expression and intolerance with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

In the open letter coordinated by PEN International , an association of writers across the world, they said: “As writers and writers’ organisations committed to protecting and defending freedom of expression around the world, we, the undersigned, are extremely concerned about the rising climate of fear, growing intolerance and violence towards critical voices who challenge orthodoxy or fundamentalism in India.”

Intelligence agencies have also alerted the government that radical Sikh outfits are planning to hold massive protests during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.

An intelligence report reviewed by HT says Khalistani groups in the UK are planning to hold protests at venues like Wembley Stadium (where Modi is going to address the Indian diaspora), the Hindu temple, airport, 10 Downing Street (the residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron), Parliament Square, Indian high commission and outside the hotel where PM Modi would stay.

(With inputs from agencies)

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India’s Modi to visit White House in June as Biden seeks stronger ties amid competition with China

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the inauguration of the Global Buddhist Summit, in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

President Joe Biden walk towards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 10, 2023, to travel to the Hudson Valley in New York. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House next month, courting an Indo-Pacific leader with whom he has sought stronger ties as the United States looks to blunt China’s growing assertiveness in the region.

Modi’s visit June 22 “will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday in announcing the Indian leader’s official state visit.

Biden and Modi will focus on their countries’ commitment to a free and secure Indo-Pacific region, as well as on their technology partnerships, including in defense, clean energy and space, she said. They will also discuss common challenges, including climate change, health security and developing the workforce.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the visit will “underscore the growing importance of the strategic partnership between India and the United States”

“This historic visit offers a valuable opportunity for India and the US to further deepen a comprehensive and forward-looking global strategic partnership,” the Indian government said.

U.S.-India relations under Biden have been warm, but also marked by complexity as Biden has sought stronger ties with the world’s largest democracy while at the same time looking to counter China’s growing economic and military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

Since coming to office, Biden has sought to reinvigorate the Quad, an international partnership with the U.S., Australia, India and Japan. But unlike the other Quad countries and nearly every other major U.S. ally, India has not imposed sanctions on Russia and has offered only limited criticism of its invasion of Ukraine. Russia is India’s biggest supplier of military hardware.

The partnership first formed during the response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed some 230,000 people. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to host Biden, Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a Quad Leaders’ Summit in Sydney later this month.

As Biden worked to unite the world against Russia, India boosted its imports of Russian oil. That allowed India to increase its energy supplies at a discount as its economy struggled to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

When Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September, he offered measured public comments about Russia’s actions in Ukraine. “I know that today’s era is not of war,” Modi told Putin.

But Biden has put a premium stronger economic ties with India and other Indo-Pacific nations amid growing competition with China. That’s helped soften the differences between the U.S. and India over Russia.

“So even though, on Russia, Ukraine, and a whole range of other issues around the world, we do have differences in approaches and different views,” said Richard Rossow, senior adviser and chairperson of U.S.-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington “On the threat that we both kind of agree is the major emerging threat ... for the next generations, there’s very little daylight in our perception there.”

Last year, Biden launched a trade deal with India and 11 other Indo-Pacific nations called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework . The White House said the agreement would help those economies work more closely on issues including supply chains, digital trade, clean energy, worker protections and anticorruption efforts.

The president is likely to face criticism from human rights advocates for inviting Modi on a state visit and for plans plans to celebrate him at a state dinner, which is a high diplomatic honor reserved for close U.S. allies.

Press freedom in India has declined in recent years and opponents of Modi’s governing Hindu nationalist party have accused it of stifling dissent and introducing divisive policies that discriminate against Muslims and other minorities.

Modi has also been accused of trying to silence critics of his administration’s handling of the pandemic.

India routinely denies criticism of its human rights record. It has also rejected criticism by foreign governments and rights groups that civil liberties have contracted in the country.

Asked about the optics of lavish treatment for Modi, Jean-Pierre said Biden always discusses human rights concerns with his counterparts. She said the U.S.-India relationship is critical.

“This is an important relationship as we speak about the Indo-Pacific, as we talk about how to move forward in that region,” Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday during a trip with Biden. “The president believes this is an important relationship that we need to continue and build on.”

Modi had a warm relationship with Biden’s immediate predecessor as president, Republican Donald Trump.

In 2020, weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic forced much of the world into lockdown, Trump made a two-day visit to India that included a raucous rally at a 110,000-seat cricket stadium. Trump had hosted Modi in the U.S. in 2019, a visit that included a side trip to Houston that drew about 50,000 people, many from the large Indian diaspora in the U.S.

Biden last hosted Modi at the White House in September 2021 for a meeting of leaders of the Quad. India also holds the rotating president of the Group of 20 nations and Biden is expected to attend that summit in New Delhi later this year.

Modi is the third foreign leader whom Biden has invited on an official state visit, which includes an expansive arrival ceremony with pomp and pageantry on the White House lawn and a ritzy state dinner with scores of guests from the worlds of politics, business and entertainment. French President Emmanuel Macron visited late last year, followed by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in April.

The last time India was so honored was nearly 15 years ago, under then-President Barack Obama in 2009.

This story has been corrected to reflect that Modi’s upcoming visit is not his first to the Biden White House; Modi visited Biden in 2021.

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• Home ›   Media Center ›   Press Releases

Prime Minister’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (February 13-14, 2024)

February 10, 2024

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13 to 14 February 2024.

2. This will be Prime Minister Modi's seventh visit to the UAE since 2015 and the third in the last eight months. During the visit, Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE. The two leaders will discuss ways to further deepen, expand and strengthen the strategic partnership between the countries and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

3. Prime Minister will also meet with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Defence Minister of UAE. At his invitation, Prime Minister will participate in the World Government Summit 2024 to be held in Dubai as Guest of Honour and deliver a special keynote address at the Summit.

4. Prime Minister will inaugurate the BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. He will also be addressing the Indian community in the UAE at an event in Zayed Sports city in Abu Dhabi.

5. India and UAE enjoy warm, close and multi-faceted relations underpinned by strong political, cultural and economic linkages. Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 and a Local Currency Settlement (LCS) System in July 2023 to promote the use of Indian Rupee and AED for cross-border transactions.

6. The two countries are among each other’s top trading partners with a bilateral trade of about US$ 85 billion in 2022-23. UAE is also among the top 4 investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments in 2022-23.

7. About 3.5 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in UAE. Their positive and well-appreciated contribution in the development of their host country has been an important anchor of our excellent bilateral engagement with the UAE.

New Delhi February 10, 2024

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