Biden's White House welcome for Modi: ‘Two great friends will define 21st century’
Hindustan TimesIn a grand and unprecedented display of the growing strategic partnership and deep people-to-people convergence between India and the US, on the south lawns of the White House packed with 7,000 Indians and Indian-Americans, President Joe Biden accorded a ceremonial state welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and said that the “two great friends and two great powers” will define the 21st century. Modi reciprocated the feelings, thanking Biden for the warm welcome and for opening the doors of the White House in such large numbers to people of Indian-origin, and expressing conviction that as a new world order takes shape post-Covid, the India-US friendship will be “instrumental” as a force for global good, peace, and stability. Reminding Biden that he had said, at an event eight years ago, that America’s goal was to become India’s “best friend”, Modi said those words resonate even now. From heights of space to depths of ocean, from ancient culture to artificial intelligence, India and US are walking shoulder to shoulder.” Watch: The moment PM Modi arrived at White House on first State visit to US The world was changing, it was looking to India and the US and the importance of bilateral strategic partnership had only increased, Modi said, and in their discussions, he was looking forward to advancing this strategic agenda.