US NSA Calls on PM Modi, Says Biden Looks Forward to His State Visit

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed him that US President Joe Biden is looking forward to welcome him on his forthcoming state visit scheduled from June 21-25.

Official sources said that Sullivan briefed Modi on the progress in various sectors of bilateral cooperation during the meeting.

PM Modi has also expressed satisfaction at the growing and deepening comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the US.

He also said that he too is looking forward to a productive visit and an engaging conversation with President Biden on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Earlier Sullivan, who is on an official visit to India from June 13 to 14, met his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

He is in India on Doval's invitation and is accompanied by a delegation of senior US government officials and leaders of US industry.

The two NSAs have engaged regularly in extensive discussions on a broad bilateral, regional and global agenda.

The current visit, which comes in the run-up to Modi's state visit to the US, will give them the opportunity to continue their high-level dialogue, which will include a review of the robust and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries as well as a survey of the India-US global strategic partnership.

Earlier on Tuesday, the two NSAs met for restricted discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest, an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Later in the evening, they attended the second Track 1.5 dialogue on India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) organised by industry body Confederation of Indian Industry.

They expressed satisfaction at the progress made under iCET during the occasion and encouraged stakeholders on both sides to strive for technology value chain partnerships, that would lead to co-development and co-production of high technology products and services in both countries.

Source said that during the visit, Sullivan will also meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other dignitaries.