Monday, July 15, 2013

BIDEN WILL VISIT DELHI, MUMBAI FROM JULY 22.

 In his first official visit after assuming office in 2009, US Vice-President Joe Biden will be in India from July 22 to 25, sources told The Indian Express. Biden will reportedly arrive in Delhi for official meetings and will also travel to Mumbai.

The visit is being seen as a build-up to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US in September-October this year. Biden, known for his flamboyant hugs and big speeches, is expected to call on President Pranab Mukherjee and meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He will hold talks with Vice-President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will call on him. 

He is likely to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj during his stay in the Capital. 

He is also expected to have some public engagements that are being worked out by the Indian and US officials. 

The US Vice-President's visit was first announced by Secretary of State John F Kerry at a joint press conference after co-chairing the fourth round of Indo-US Strategic Dialogue with Khurshid last month.
In fact, a US team is in India to look into the logistics and arrangements of the visit. 

"A US advance team is in Delhi to prepare for Biden's visit which will happen between July 20 to 30," Syed Akbaruddin, official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, said here on Monday. 

It will be the highest-level visit by an American official in the last three years. US President Barack Obama had visited India in 2010.

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