Modi visit to elevate focus on tech partnership, says top US commerce official

Washington, June 14

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on Tuesday said the upcoming state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give the two countries an opportunity to elevate their focus on commercial and strategic technology partnership in defense, clean energy, and medical supply chain.

Raimondo was in India earlier this year and has talked fondly - as she did again on Tuesday - of celebrating Holi with her Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal.

Modi's upcoming visit on June 22, "will be an opportunity to elevate our focus to commercial and strategic technology partnerships, including in defense, sending medical supply chain, clean energy and space", she said in a recorded video at the annual India Ideas summit hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC).

Modi is coming to the US on June 22 for a state visit at the invitation of President Joe Biden, including a state dinner. He is also scheduled to address a joint meeting of the US Congress, which will be his second time.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called the visit "historic", in his address at the inaugural event of the summit.