This Article is From Sep 27, 2014

PM Arrives in US to Chants of 'Modi, Modi'

PM Arrives in US to Chants of 'Modi, Modi'

PM Modi arrives in New York to a rock-star welcome (PTI Photo)

New York: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New York Friday on a five-day visit to the US to a tumultuous welcome by the Indian American community whose members chanted "Modi, Modi" and held placards to greet him at the hotel where is is staying.

Mr Modi, who arrived on a five-day visit to the US, was wearing  a dark maroon bandh-gala suit.

Mr Modi's first trip to the US in over a decade sees him addressing the UN General Assembly, a crowd of 18,000 at Madison Square Garden, and a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House.

The PM was received by Ambassador S. Jaishankar and other Indian officials and US protocol officers.

He is to meet New York Mayor Bill de Blasio later Friday and has a tight schedule ahead of him with nearly 25 events planned in New York and in Washington for him.

Saturday will start with a visit to the 9/11 site, also known as Ground Zero, where he will pay respects to the victims of one of the worst-ever terrorist attacks that claimed more than 3,000 lives. The visit will underscore the common threats that are faced by India and the US from terrorists.

An important part of Mr Modi's visit is to sell the idea of "Make in India" and to solicit investment and technology. He will meet more than 15 top executives of major US companies on Monday.

In a sign of growing influence of the Indian diaspora in the US, one of the politicians he will meet is South Carolina's Republican Governor Nikki Haley, who is of Indian-origin. Among the top multinational executives he is to meet will be PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi.

In Washington, he will lunch with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry. Many business leaders have been invited to the event.

Despite all the dinners, breakfasts and lunches set up for him, Mr Modi will be observing his nine-day Navaratri fast. He will have only tea and nimbu paani (lemonade).

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