In the context of global issues, the Quad, and the upcoming US elections, the three-day visit of PM Modi from September 21-23, 2024 is a testament to the growing importance of the India-US relationship that has deepened over the past 20 years. Among the major outcomes of the visit are consolidating ties, positioning in Quad Dynamics, Global Governance and Technological Cooperation.

Modi arrived in the US when the US presidential election was at an inflection point. The timing of the visit just ahead of the US elections, is significant. Modi's engagement with the US leadership is seen as a signal of India's commitment to the relationship, regardless of the election outcome.

The Quad, comprising India, the US, Australia, and Japan, is a crucial aspect of Modi's visit. Strategists believe that the Quad will remain a vital platform for cooperation on Indo-Pacific issues, counter-terrorism, and maritime security.

The three-day visit could be summed up in four high value laden key events - Quad Leaders' Summit, ⁠meeting with the Indian Diaspora, Business Roundtable, and United Nations General Assembly.

⁠Quad Leaders' Summit

Modi participated in the sixth Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Joseph Biden, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan gathered in Wilmington, Delaware, for the Quad Leaders' Summit. The meeting reaffirmed the Quad's dedication to promoting global good, with a focus on key sectors like healthcare, technology, climate change, and capacity building.
This summit addressed crucial issues like emerging technologies, connectivity, maritime security, and counter-terrorism efforts.

Positioning of India in the Quad
Modi's balanced approach has strengthened India's position in the Quad discussion, allowing it to effectively collaborate with other member nations. India's demonstrated ability to maintain good relations with multiple nations has built credibility and trust among Quad members. Modi's experience in navigating complex relationships positions India as a potential mediator in regional conflicts, further solidifying its role in QUAD. PM Modi positioned India as  extremely valuable with a renewed commitment to global cooperation.

From a geopolitical standpoint, Prime Minister Modi's meetings with Presidents Putin and Zelensky have strategically positioned him in the Quad discussion by showcasing India's balanced foreign policy approach. By meeting with both leaders prior to the Quad summit, Modi has demonstrated India's commitment to maintaining good relations with multiple nations, despite their conflicting interests. India’s interest in balanced diplomacy has been reinforced by Modi's visit to Ukraine and meeting with Zelensky. This highlighted India's support for peace and its willingness to engage with nations affected by conflict.

Modi's meeting with Putin focused on energy and trade cooperation, solidifying India's relationship with Russia and securing essential supplies. Modi's interactions with both leaders have enhanced India's global influence and established him as a global leader who can navigate complex geopolitical relationships.
Key Outcomes from Quad Summit
The Quad joint statement read, "We, the Quad Leaders, reaffirm our commitment to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, grounded in international law and principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democracy. We will continue to work together to address global challenges, promote economic growth, and enhance prosperity for our citizens."

Quad leaders pledged to enhance collaboration on global health security, vaccine development, and healthcare infrastructure. ⁠ ⁠The leaders committed to fostering an open, accessible, and secure technology ecosystem, promoting cooperation in innovation, and emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, and semiconductors.  ⁠Quad nations reaffirmed their commitment to addressing climate change, promoting clean energy, and achieving net-zero emissions. ⁠The leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in capacity building, including education, skills development, and infrastructure development.

The Quad Leaders' Summit demonstrated a growing convergence of interests among member nations, with a shared commitment that included promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, countering terrorism and violent extremism, enhancing cybersecurity cooperation, and supporting democratic values and human rights.

Of the many initiatives of Quad, the ones that were most value-added included, ⁠the Quad Fellowship Program for students and professionals to promote exchange and collaboration in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, Quad Climate and Clean Energy Forum for sharing best practices and innovative solutions to address climate change, and Quad Health Security Initiative to strengthen global health security, including pandemic preparedness and response.

As the Quad continues to evolve, its focus on global good and India’s cooperation will play a critical role in shaping the future of international relations.

Meeting with the Indian Diaspora

A grand community event themed 'Modi & US’ was organised in Nassau Coliseum, New York, to celebrate India-U.S. relations and the cultural ethos of the Indian diaspora. This is PM Modi’s fifth grand public address in the US and was attended by over 12,000 Indians. As many as 18,000 have registered for the event but the venue fell short to accommodate all. PM Modi also addressed the Indian diaspora in Delaware.

PM Modi's address to the Indian diaspora was filled with enthusiasm and vision for India's future. He hailed the Indian American community as India's "strong brand ambassadors", emphasising their crucial role in promoting India's soft power globally. The event in New York highlighted the contributions of the Indian diaspora to India's soft power and U.S.-India relations.

He underscored the importance of unity among the Indian diaspora, stressing that a strong, united community is essential for India's growth and global influence. He encouraged the diaspora to promote Indian culture, values, and traditions in the US, fostering a deeper understanding between the two nations. Modi invited the diaspora to invest in India to explore opportunities in India's growing economy, particularly in sectors like technology, healthcare, and renewable energy.

PM Modi envisions that a resourceful Indian diaspora leveraging their expertise and resources can economic development.  He welcomed to benefit growth engine by fuelling it with expertise and experience. In particular, he emphasised ⁠ AI and Healthcare. To foster healthcare innovation, he asserted that a partnership with Indian hospitals and US research institutions to develop AI-powered diagnostic tools and telemedicine platforms could be mutually beneficial. He mentioned that India is ready to leverage shared expertise and technology to drive India's growth in sectors like renewable energy, fintech, and cybersecurity. Supporting initiatives that promote skills development and education in India, particularly in emerging technologies is another area to be ventured.

PM Modi highlighted India's rise to prominence, development and growth, global cooperation, cultural diversity, women's empowerment, technological advancements, environmental commitment and Indian diaspora engagement. Overall, PM Modi's address was a testament to India's growing global influence and his vision for a prosperous, technologically advanced and environmentally conscious nation.

PM Modi has taken a special interest in the restitution of Indian antiquities. On his recent visit, 297 antiquities were returned to India, bringing the total number of recovered antiquities since 2014 to 640. This includes 578 artefacts returned from the USA alone. Previous visits by PM Modi to the US have also been successful, with 157 antiquities returned in 2021, including the exquisite bronze Nataraja statue from the 12th century CE and 105 antiquities returned in 2023.

In a major breakthrough, India and the US signed the first-ever 'Cultural Property Agreement' in July 2024 to prevent and curb the illicit trafficking of antiquities from India to the USA. This agreement demonstrates the government's commitment to preserving India's cultural heritage for future generations. It was a great feat by PM Modi towards reclaiming cultural identity, strengthening international cooperation, protect national treasures and promote cultural Diplomacy.

Business Roundtable

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with top tech CEOs in New York. This meeting aimed to promote India's growth prospects and encourage bilateral collaboration across various sectors. The meeting was organised by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Engineering and attended by 15 prominent CEOs from the US tech industry. Some to name Google's Sundar Pichai, ⁠Adobe's Shantanu Narayen, ⁠NVIDIA's Jensen Huang, Accenture's Julie Sweet, ⁠AMD's Lisa Su, ⁠HP Inc.'s Enrique Lores, ⁠IBM's Arvind Krishna, and ⁠Moderna's Dr. Noubar Afeyan.

Google's CEO discussed their plans to continue investing in India through their $10 billion India Digitisation Fund, including in early-stage Indian startups. Micron Technology plans to invest $825 million to build a new semiconductor assembly and test facility in India. Boeing has announced a historic agreement with Air India to acquire over 200 American-made aircraft, supporting over one million American jobs across 44 states. PM Modi met with other business leaders and CEOs from various sectors, including pharmaceuticals to discuss collaborations on pandemic preparedness and securing pharmaceutical supply chains and energy to discuss investments in renewable energy and sustainable development.

PM Modi shared ⁠India's growth story and emphasised India's potential to become the third-largest economy globally. He encouraged companies to leverage India's growth story for collaboration and innovation. For technology collaboration, he stressed the importance of technology collaboration, citing the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) as central to the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

For semiconductor manufacturing, PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to becoming a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing. The centrepiece of the roundtable was ⁠AI for All. He highlighted India's "AI for All" initiative, promoting ethical and responsible AI practices. The key aspect he presented to the CEOs was investment opportunities. It was a very prolific meeting as CEOs expressed strong interest in investing in India, particularly in startups, viewing it as a synergistic opportunity for developing new technologies.

United Nations General Assembly

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address and meetings at the UN were quite significant. He attended the Summit of the Future, a UN General Assembly meeting focused on forging new international cooperation to safeguard future generations. The theme of the summit is 'Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow'.

PM Modi also held bilateral meetings with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders' Summit. He scheduled several bilateral interactions with world leaders including the Palestinian President, and Ukraine President meetings and others in New York.

PM Modi shared the excitement of 1.42 billion Indians by telling India's positive growth story. He highlighted India's growth prospects and encouraged global leaders to invest in the country. For global cooperation, PM Modi stressed the importance of international cooperation in addressing global challenges and promoting peace, and prosperity. He also discussed the potential of emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, and semiconductors in driving growth and development. He highlighted important issues like terrorism and maritime security and the need for cooperative efforts to maintain peace and stability.

Modi's trip was a grand success in strengthening ties with the U.S., with a focus on deepening the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Indian diaspora in New York was filled with enthusiasm and vision for India's future. He hailed the Indian American community as India's "strong brand ambassadors", emphasising their crucial role in promoting India's soft power globally. Overall, Modi's visit is viewed as a crucial step in solidifying India-US ties, addressing global challenges and promoting India's growth and influence on the world stage.