Modi meets Obama at White House

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama in Washington on Monday night at dinner. The maiden meeting between two world’s largest democratic country-heads was lasted about 90 minutes in the Blue Room at the White House.

“President Obama, PM Modi exchanged anecdotes about their first few days in office, to see if they had anything in common,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.

Both the leaders asserted needs of strong bilateral relationship and economic tie-ups.

Both the leaders agreed to write a joint editorial for a leading US journal.

“Both Obama and Modi are great coteries of digital diplomacy. They have been communicating by digital means on the joint editorial,” said Akbaruddin.

Both side release a vision statement, naming “Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go” to boost US-India Strategic relationship.

“Our strategic partnership is a joint endeavor for prosperity and peace. Through intense consultations, joint exercises, and shared technology, our security cooperation will make the region and the world safe and secure. Together, we will combat terrorist threats and keep our homelands and citizens safe from attacks, while we respond expeditiously to humanitarian disasters and crises,” the vision statement said.

Obama welcomed Modi by greeting him in Gujarati, saying ‘Kem Cho’. Modi replied to Obama saying ‘Thank You’. They exchanged gifts too.

“PM Modi gave a special gift to Obama. He gifted Mahatma Gandhi’s interpretation of the Gita, covered in khadi. PM Modi is aware that President Obama respects Martin Luther King. He is giving him an All India Radio’s recording of Martin Luther King’s speech in India. A rare of picture of Martin Luther King at Rajghat was framed and gifted to President Obama,” said Akbaruddin.

Modi will meet Obama again at The Oval House on Tuesday evening.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Indian Ambassador to the US, S Jaishankar, US Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, USAID chief Rajiv Shah were among who attended the dinner hosted by US President. As Modi has been observing fast on Navratri, he only had warm water while others had their dinner.

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