Washington DC [US], February 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met with United States National Security Advisor Michael Waltz at Blair House in Washington DC on Thursday. The two leaders exchanged handshakes before commencing their bilateral discussions. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval were also in attendance.
Waltz, who has previously served as the Republican chair of the US-India Caucus, has consistently emphasized India's importance in US strategic interests. He had earlier met with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in December last year, where they discussed bilateral cooperation and global issues. Jaishankar had expressed optimism about working closely with Waltz to strengthen ties.
During his ongoing two-day visit to the US, PM Modi is also scheduled to meet President Donald Trump at the White House later today. Additionally, he will hold meetings at Blair House with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Elon Musk, who has recently been appointed as a special US government employee and leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is expected to discuss the potential launch of Starlink's satellite broadband services in India. This development was reported by Reuters, citing sources who preferred to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of the discussions.
Vivek Ramaswamy, an Indian-origin entrepreneur and Republican leader from Ohio, will also meet with PM Modi. Ramaswamy, who initially ran for the US presidency before withdrawing from the race, had endorsed Donald Trump, whom he previously described as the "best president of the 21st century."
This visit marks PM Modi’s first trip to the United States since Donald Trump assumed office for his second term. He arrived in the US on a two-day visit at the invitation of President Trump and was welcomed at the airport by India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, along with other officials.
Ahead of his departure, PM Modi stated that he looked forward to engaging with President Trump and further strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. He emphasized that the visit presents an opportunity to build upon the successful collaborations from his first term and to develop a roadmap for enhancing bilateral relations between the two nations.
