06/13/2023
Washington, June 13: A senior administration official revealed that the Biden family intends to host a private dinner for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 21 June, a day before the State Dinner at the White House.
United States President Joe Biden, along with First Lady Jill Biden, invited PM Modi to make an official state visit, marking an important moment in the relationship between India and the United States.
Among all the activities planned during PM Modi's visit is a grand welcome ceremony that will take place on 22 June on the South Lawns of the White House. The State Dinner being hosted later that night promises to be extraordinarily glittery with great entertainment, as per the official.
"We will have a very substantial arrival ceremony on the White House lawn. The night before, I expect the Prime Minister and President Biden and the Biden family to have some moments of intimacy where they really have a chance to sit down together," the official told.
It has not been revealed where the intimate dinner will take place.
Biden is set to travel to California between 19 and 21 June, as stated in the official White House schedule released last week.
During this time, PM Modi will make his way to Washington, DC, from New York on 21 June, where he will visit the United Nations headquarters to participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations.
The South Lawns of the White House will most likely house a tent for the State Dinner taking place on 22 June, which is set to be a part of an eventful day of numerous activities.
The dinner is considered a hot ticket, with vigorous requests coming in every day for the last tickets.
An official has said that the State Dinner will serve as a celebration of the US-India relations, with supporters and advocates coming from both India and around the United States.
As per the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, lunch will be held on 23 June at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department. Vice President Kamala Harris and the Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be hosting the lunch.
The specifics of the dinner and other activities will be revealed by the White House in the coming days.
Many Indian Americans are excitedly anticipating the arrival of their popular leader, with plans to catch a glimpse of him when he arrives at the hotel in Washington, DC, and at the airport.
Hundreds of Indian-Americans are set to gather at Lafayette Square Park on 21 June in front of the White House to welcome PM Modi with a cultural extravaganza reflecting India's diverse cultures.-Agencies