Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached Washington to attend the two-day Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) where more than 50 world leaders are expected to share their views on threat from nuclear weapons.
This is for the first time Modi will be attending the NSS meet. He is likely to lay out his vision of securing nuclear weapons.
Due to security reasons Modi's exact schedule in Washington was kept secret. However, sources said he is likely to attend series of meetings throughout the day, which range from bilaterals with heads of state to community leaders, to scientists and top global corporate leaders.
"He will meet John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand and scientists from Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO)", he said.
Unlike the previous schedule of addressing the Indian community in US, Modi this time decided to avoid any public engagement.
However, a large number of Indian Americans from in and around Washington is expected to gather outside his hotel, despite tight security, to get a glimpse of Modi.
The official summit engagement of Modi would begin in the evening when he would drive down to the White House to attend a dinner hosted by Obama in honour of the world leaders attending the fourth Nuclear Security Summit.
No Modi-Obama bilateral meeting has been announced yet from either side, but the two leaders are expected to get multiple opportunities for interaction and talks over the next two days.
"The summit would deliberate on the crucial issue of threat to nuclear security caused by nuclear terrorism. Leaders would discuss ways and measure through which to strengthen the global nuclear security architecture, especially to ensure that non-state actors do not get access to nuclear material," Modi had said in a statement before leaving on the current three-nation tour of Belgium, the US and Saudi Arabia.
Joint Secretary (Disarmament & International Security Affairs) Amandeep Singh Gill said during the summit India's written National Progress Report would be circulated at the summit.
"India expects that the summit would contribute further to raising high level awareness of the threat of nuclear terrorism and the need to strengthen international cooperation against terrorists and nuclear traffickers," Gill said.
"We also expect that the summit would help bolster legal, institutional and enforcement measures to strengthen the security of nuclear material, radioactive sources, associated facilities and technologies," he said.
This is Modi's third visit to the US and second to Washington since becoming Prime Minister in 2014.
In September 2014, Modi visited US and had a meeting with Obama at the White House.
Comments
0 comment