"Excited to see him": Members of Indian diaspora gather outside Blair House to welcome PM Modi

Speaking to ANI, Baburaj, a member of Indian diaspora said, "I live in Virginia, I belong to Telangana. Today, the Indian diaspora is so excited..All Indians are excited to see him."

Srinivas, a member of the Indian diaspora, said that members of the Indian community are excited that the US gave the "highest priority" to PM Modi.

"We are here, Indian-American diaspora, all the people are here to welcome Prime Minister Modi. We are so excited that the US gave the highest priority to our Prime Minister. He is coming here for all 1.4 billion population," he told ANI.

PM Modi will arrive in the US on Wednesday (local time) for a two-day visit. His visit to the US comes at the invitation of US President Donald Trump. This will be PM Modi's first visit to the United States after Trump assumed office for the second term. During his visit, PM Modi will hold a meeting with US President Trump.

PM Modi will be staying at the Blair House -- the historic guest lodging for dignitaries visiting the White House. Located at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue, directly across the street from the White House, this historic home is no ordinary guest house. Blair House has hosted presidents, royalty, and world leaders, earning its nickname as "the world's most exclusive hotel."

Blair House is more than just a luxurious guest house. It's a symbol of American hospitality and diplomacy, a place where relationships are forged, and history is made. It is a luxurious, 70,000-square-foot extension of the White House.

In his departure statement, PM Modi said, "Although this will be our first meeting following his historic electoral victory and inauguration in January, I have a very warm recollection of working together in his first term in building a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between India and the US."

"This visit will be an opportunity to build upon the successes of our collaboration in his first term and develop an agenda to further elevate and deepen our partnership, including in the areas of technology, trade, defence, energy, and supply chain resilience. We will work together for the mutual benefit of the people of our two countries and shape a better future for the world," he added.

Since November 2024, PM Modi and Trump have spoken on the phone twice. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended the inauguration ceremony of President Donald Trump. During the visit, EAM Jaishankar also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and participated in the QUAD Foreign Ministers' meeting in January 2025.

Notably, India and the US launched a "strategic partnership" in 2005. The ties between two nations were elevated to Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership during Trump's visit to India in February 2020. During the first Trump administration, the Indo-Pacific region gained significant attention as a key strategic area in the US foreign policy.

PM Modi is travelling to the US after concluding his three-day visit to France. During his visit to France, PM Modi met with US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday (local time). The two leaders discussed topics of mutual interest, including how the United States can assist India in diversifying its energy sourcing through investments in clean, "reliable" US nuclear technology, an official statement from the White House said.

Following the meeting, the two leaders, along with the Second Lady of the United States, Usha Vance, enjoyed coffee together. PM Modi also took the opportunity to share gifts with the Vance children and wished the Vice President's son, Vivek, a happy birthday, according to the White House statement. (ANI)