As PM Modi heads to US, plans afoot to schedule meeting with Trump

While he is planning to spend five days in New York, plans are being explored for a day-long visit to Washington DC and a bilateral meeting with the US President at the White House.

The Indian Express has learnt that Delhi and Washington are looking at September 25 and 26 as possible dates for the visit and a bilateral meeting between the Prime Minister and the US President.

If it works out, then this will be his third visit to the White House in the last six years and third meeting with Trump this year. Modi had last visited White House in June 2017 when he met Trump. He went to the White House in September 2014 when then US President Barack Obama had hosted him.

The Prime Minister will address the annual UNGA session on September 27 and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to follow the same day.

As Prime Minister, Modi had given his maiden address to world leaders at the UNGA in 2014. His visit in September and address to world leaders at the UN will be the first after winning a second term as Prime Minister.

Before arriving in New York for the UNGA, Modi is scheduled to address the Indian diaspora in Houston on September 22. “Howdy, Modi!”, the Indian-American community summit, will be hosted by the Texas India Forum, the Houston-based non-profit.

In a bid to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will host the 2019 Climate Action Summit on September 23 which will be addressed by Modi.

During his stay in New York, Modi will be felicitated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his leadership of the Swachch Bharat Mission. He will be presented with the 2019 Global Goalkeeper Award on September 24.

As the world commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, Modi will also host a special event ‘Leadership Matters: Relevance of Gandhi in the Contemporary World’ on September 24 in the Economic and Social Council Chamber in the UN Headquarters.

He will also be the keynote speaker at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum on September 25.

During his visit to New York, Modi will also inaugurate the Gandhi Peace Garden, an innovative initiative to commemorate Gandhi’s 150 birth anniversary this year.