PM Modi to visit US on Sept 21: What’s expected? From QUAD to drug policy framework to Trump meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United States on Saturday, September 21. He will spend three days in the country, attending the QAUD Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington and the Summit of the Future (SOTF) at the United Nations in New York. Will PM Modi meet former US president Donald Trump during his US visit?

Here are details of PM Modi's itinerary:

1. PM Modi's first stop will be Wilmington in Delaware, the hometown of US President Joe Biden, where he will attend the Quad Summit on September 21. "It also happens to be the fourth in-person Summit between the Quad Leaders, and that will be during the day on the 21st of September," the Ministry of External Affairs said. The Summit will offer QUAD leaders the opportunity to review progress achieved in the last one year and set the agenda for the next year.

2. PM Modi will attend bilateral meetings with Heads of State and US government on the sidelines of the Quad Summit. The two sides are likely to sign Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)-related agreements and an India-US Drug Framework-related MoU among other agreements.

"...there will be an opportunity to have a substantive engagement between Prime Minister and President Biden, where they will have the opportunity to review the comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the United States...," the ministry said.

Bilateral meetings with the leaders of Japan and Australia may also take place.

3. "A very special event this time on the sidelines of the Quad Summit will be a Cancer Moonshot event," the ministry said. Through this signature initiative, the Quad aims to implement innovative strategies to prevent, detect, treat, and alleviate the impact of cancer on patients and their families. "...we intend to collaborate in reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the Indo-Pacific region," the government said.

4. From Wilmington, PM Modi will travel to New York to attend the Summit of the Future (SOTF) at the United Nations. The Prime Minister will address this gathering of world leaders. "...one of the main areas of attention will be attaining the Sustainable Development Goals on target and on time," the ministry said. Pressing global challenges and the gaps in global governance are other areas of concern.

5. On September 22, PM Modi will interact with the Indian diaspora. Besides, there will be a technology Roundtable, a Roundtable with a number of Tech CEOs where opportunity to discuss the tech investment landscape and the opportunities that are available here will be on the table, the ministry said.

6. On September 23, PM Modi will address the Summit of the Future in the UN General Assembly. "There are a few more bilateral meetings that are being fixed up on that day," the ministry added.

The Ministry of External Affairs said there will be a Quad joint statement, a Quad fact sheet, and the Cancer Moonshot event will have a separate fact sheet of its own. This year's QUAD meet "is also going to be a kind of a farewell event for US "President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida of Japan".

7. Is there a meeting with Donald Trump? While the Ministry of External Affairs didn't confirm a meeting between PM Modi and Trump, an official said, "...we are currently trying to schedule several meetings of Prime Minister, based on the time available for meetings. So, at this moment, I cannot specifically tell you whether meetings have been fixed or not."

"We are looking from all viewpoints, considering how much time we have and with whom the meetings can be arranged. As soon as any meetings with leaders are fixed, I will update you accordingly," the ministry said.