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Modi US visit: Why Washington is rolling out the red carpet for Indian PM


Austin 3:!6

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US has assumed huge significance amid global economic and geopolitical headwinds.

 

The White House is pulling out all the stops to welcome Mr Modi - it's a state visit, the highest level of diplomatic protocol the US accords to visiting leaders. Mr Modi will be given a ceremonial welcome at the White House on Thursday before he holds direct talks with President Joe Biden.

Then there is the state dinner, a meeting with CEOs, an address to a joint session of Congress and speeches to Indian-Americans, which have been highlights of Mr Modi's past US visits.

 

All this for a leader once denied a visa to travel to the US because of concerns over human rights - now the US sees Mr Modi as a crucial partner.

 

Behind the carefully crafted ceremonies lie discussions that have the potential to not only infuse new energy into India-US relations but also have an impact on the global order.

 

The Indo-Pacific is where the US possibly needs India's influence more than anywhere else right now. The US has long viewed India as a counterbalance to China's growing influence in the region, but Delhi has never been fully comfortable with owning the tag.

 

It may still be reluctant to do so but China continues to be one of the main catalysts driving India-US relations.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-65947363.amp

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Critics decry Modi’s US visit as he begins day with UN yoga event

 

Calls mount for Biden to address human rights concerns during the Indian prime minister’s Washington, DC, visit.

 

 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kicked off a controversial visit to the United States by hosting a United Nations yoga event.

 

Critics were quick to condemn the display, held on the front lawn of the United Nations in New York City on Wednesday. They said it distracted from allegations Modi’s administration has leaned into a Hindu nationalism that has targeted minorities, eroded democracy and shrugged off human rights.

 

That criticism has also been aimed at the administration of US President Joe Biden, who is set to host Modi for an official state dinner on Thursday night, one of the highest honours bestowed to visiting officials.

 

Criticism of ‘om-washing’

“Yoga means to unite. So your coming together is an expression of another form of yoga,” Modi told participants at the United Nations event on Wednesday morning, hours before he was set to be greeted by Biden at the White House.

But Ria Chakrabarty, the policy director at Hindus for Human Rights, accused the prime minister of using the event as “om-washing”, a variation on “whitewashing” that employs the mantra “om”.

 

She explains that cultural Hinduism — through activities like yoga, meditation and mindfulness — have a great deal of “soft power” in the West, with thousands of fans and adherents.

“Essentially what he’s doing is taking advantage of that soft power,” Chakrabarty said.

“It’s really just creating cultural soft power for him to go back to India and say, ‘Look … I’m this person who has put Hinduism on the world stage,’ even though what he’s really done is put Hindu nationalism on the world stage.”

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/21/critics-decry-modis-us-visit-as-he-begins-day-with-un-yoga-event

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5 hours ago, bharathh said:

NY Times has said that Biden has had to pause his commitment to democracy and fair values. That had me rolling in laughter.

 

I love how the democrats think they are perfect human beings. 

The obvious editorial slant in NYT is nauseating.  

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6 minutes ago, sandeep said:

The obvious editorial slant in NYT is nauseating.  

I avoid most of NYT or WaPo articles on India as they are mostly negative written by our own journalists. Except when they are grudgingly silent about Biden just to be included among the left canal.

FzOPvzzWwAgXCtl?format=png&name=large

 

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3 hours ago, Lone Wolf said:

1 Indian journo may ask about his fav vegan dish:phehe:. @khadekhademaaro

 

Aamreeki one will ask about Ukraine War:egg:

Will be surprised if this isn't the case.  

 

Thank you to Indian media for spoiling us:smash:

ek fakiri hai aap mein

sach batao - aap thakte nahi ho kya. I mean how do you do it. ek aam insaan bhi kaam karke thak jaata hai

hand written typed poem on national TV

18 18 ghante kaam karna

:hysterical:

 

 

 

 

 

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20 minutes ago, khadekhademaaro said:

ek fakiri hai aap mein

sach batao - aap thakte nahi ho kya. I mean how do you do it. ek aam insaan bhi kaam karke thak jaata hai

hand written typed poem on national TV

18 18 ghante kaam karna

:hysterical:

 

 

 

 

 

9 saal mai pehli baar 2 question aane wale hai....  But Questions will be approved by his team first lol...

Hype toh  hai at least:drool:

 

Mudi g zabardast ratta chala rahe honge to be on the safer side:fear1:

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7 hours ago, bharathh said:

NY Times has said that Biden has had to pause his commitment to democracy and fair values. That had me rolling in laughter.

 

I love how the democrats think they are perfect human beings. 

They are hilarious, the LeLi cabal with Democrats! Listen to this comedy piece, “Biden has made defense of democracy the centre piece of his administration :hysterical:

 

 

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1 hour ago, Lone Wolf said:

9 saal mai pehli baar 2 question aane wale hai....  But Questions will be approved by his team first lol...

Hype toh  hai at least:drool:

 

Mudi g zabardast ratta chala rahe honge to be on the safer side:fear1:

 

What are you even talking about? Kya kehna chahte ho? :hmmmm2:

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48 minutes ago, Lone Wolf said:

Rarest of rare event is happening...  For the first time in 9 years...  Modi will answer questions (2 only,  1 Indian + 1 US)  in a PC. 

Pretty sure what the Indian  one ask - will you apologize for 2002?

 

US one: How come you bought Russian crude despite NATO embargo?

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