Honoured to be first to host you on state visit: US President Biden to PM Modi

Washington DC: US President Joe Biden on Thursday said that the relationship between India and the United States is "one of the most defining relationships" in the 21st century.

Speaking after the ceremonial welcome for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, Biden said that India and US are working closely on eliminating poverty, expanding access to healthcare and addressing climate change

"PM Modi welcome back to the White House. I am honoured to be the first to host you here on a State visit," Biden said.

He referred to Quad and said people will recall that it bent the arc of history.

"With your cooperation, we have strengthened the Quad for a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Decades from now, people will look back and say that the Quad bent the arc of history for global good," he added.

The US President and PM Modi shared a warm embrace during the ceremonial welcome.

"India and US are working closely on eliminating poverty, expanding access to healthcare, addressing climate change and tackling food and energy insecurity triggered by the Russian war on Ukraine," Biden said.

PM Modi arrived at the White House to a ceremonial welcome hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

PM Modi and President Biden will have a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office of the White House before holding high-level talks to further boost the growing Indo-US strategic relations in areas like defence, space, clean energy and critical technologies.

Upon his arrival at the White House lawns, PM Modi who was dressed in a traditional white kurta pyjama teamed with a powder blue jacket was greeted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

A US delegation including Vice President Kamala Harris, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin assembled to greet PM Modi.

The Indian delegation led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu were also present.

National anthems of India and the US played out as thousands of people gathered on the White House South Lawns to greet PM Modi.

The Prime Minister will later also address a joint session of US Congress.

The Prime Minister was welcomed by members of the Indian community, other guests who had gathered on the lawns of the White House.

Visuals showed huge crowds of people waving Indian and US flags, chanting "Modi, Modi".