US leaders invite India’s Modi to speak in Congress.

The United States Congress has extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting during his visit to Washington on June 22. This is a significant move as the U.S. seeks to strengthen its ties with India.

It is my honor to invite @PMOIndia@narendramodi to address a Joint Meeting of Congress on Thursday, June 22nd.

This will be an opportunity to celebrate the enduring friendship between the United States and India and speak to the global challenges our countries both face. pic.twitter.com/gu68UjJltG

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) June 2, 2023

The Congressional leaders, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, expressed their excitement for Modi to share his vision for India’s future and address the global challenges that both countries face. They hope that this will pave the way for greater collaboration between the two nations in the years to come.

This will be Modi’s second address to a joint session of the U.S. legislature, following his 2016 address. This is a rare honor for a leader who was once denied a visa to enter the United States over human rights concerns.

India Overtakes China

Modi’s upcoming visit comes at a time of ongoing rivalry between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific. India recently surpassed China as the world’s most populous country, indicating a potential shift in their global status.

• The Indian population rose to 1.428 billion, 3 million more than China’s 1.425 billion, according to data from the U.N. Population Fund’s (UNFPA) “State of World Population Report, 2023” on April 19.
• India and China now account for more than one-third of the estimated global population of 8.045 billion people.

Experts say that India surpassing China in population is a significant development that could lead to a power shift. Frank Lehberger, a Germany-based Sinologist and geo-political analyst, told The Epoch Times that the most direct benefit for India is gaining global recognition.

The White House announced last month that President Joe Biden will host Modi for an official state visit to Washington later this month. The two leaders will discuss ways to expand educational exchanges and people-to-people ties, as well as cooperation in addressing climate change, workforce development, and health security. The visit aims to affirm the close partnership between the United States and India and strengthen their shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific.

Modi’s address to the joint meeting of Congress is sure to be a historic event that will deepen the friendship between the United States and India.