US President Joe Biden will travel to India on September 7, two days before the G20 summit, to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the White House has announced.
The visit comes as the two countries seek to strengthen their strategic partnership in the face of growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Biden and Modi are expected to discuss a range of issues, including trade, investment, security, and climate change.
The G20 summit will be held in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. It will be the first time that India has hosted the summit.
In a statement, the White House said that Biden’s visit to India “will reaffirm the United States’ commitment to a strong and prosperous relationship with India”. The statement also said that the visit “will demonstrate the shared interests and values that unite our two countries”.
Modi has already thanked Biden and other world leaders for their support of India’s G20 presidency. In a tweet, he said that he looked forward to working with them “to advance global good”.
The Biden administration has been keen to strengthen ties with India as part of its efforts to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The two countries have already held a number of high-level meetings in recent months, and Biden is expected to announce further steps to deepen the US-India partnership during his visit.
The bilateral talks between Biden and Modi are likely to be closely watched by China, which has been wary of the growing US-India strategic cooperation. The Chinese government has accused the US of trying to “contain” China through its alliances with countries like India.
The Biden administration has denied that it is trying to contain China, but it has said that it is committed to working with its allies to ensure that the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open. The G20 summit is likely to provide an opportunity for Biden and Modi to discuss their shared concerns about China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
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