Biden and Modi say US-India ties are closer than ever

India’s PM Narendra Modi was welcomed on Thursday by US President Joe Biden, with the pair celebrating the ties between the US and India. 

Modi was welcomed to the US, with pomp and ceremony. The festivities included marching bands, an opulent vegetarian dinner, and a 21-gun salute on the South Lawn of the White House.

During the state visit, Modi delivered a speech to the US Congress and received a standing ovation. 

Whilst Washington has recognised India as a significant counterbalance to China’s expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific region, Delhi has never been entirely comfortable with assuming this role.

In his address to Congress, Modi did not explicitly mention China, but he referred to the “dark clouds of coercion and confrontation casting their shadow over the Indo-Pacific.”

He also chose not to mention Russia or assign blame for the war in Ukraine, instead stating, “With the Ukraine conflict, war has returned to Europe.”