PM Modi, President Biden to take questions at US press conference, White House says 'big deal'

Terming it a “big deal”, the White House on Wednesday confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden will be taking questions from the press on Thursday, according to a report.

“The White House understands the press conference is really a big deal,” Reuters quoted John Kirby, the White House’s national security spokesperson, as saying.

“We are just grateful that Prime Minister Modi is participating in a press event at the end of the visit. We think that’s important and we’re glad he thinks that’s important too,” he added.

Kirby said the format of the press conference will include one question from the US press and one from an Indian journalist.

Normally each side takes two questions, but sometimes it can be one from each side. During the last Indian State Visit of former prime minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009, the two sides took one question each.

Prime Minister Modi has not addressed any press meet since he came to power in 2014. He has mostly taken media questions in one-on-one interviews.

According to Reuters, White House’s press conferences with other world leaders have been tightly controlled.

US officials designate reporters beforehand from the American and foreign media for Biden and his guest to call upon, and a very limited number of questions are allowed, a Reuters report said.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Washington from New York on Wednesday.

PM Modi and President Biden will have a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday before holding high-level talks to further boost the growing Indo-US strategic relations in areas like defence, space and critical technologies.

The prime minister would then head to the Congress to deliver an address to the joint meeting of the US Congress, which would be attended by Congressmen and senators in the presence of several hundred Indian Americans from the visitor’s gallery.

In early June, top lawmakers of the US from both Republican and Democratic parties extended an invitation letter to PM Modi urging him to address the Congress.

The letter read, “Based on our shared values and commitment to global peace and prosperity, the partnership between our two countries continues to grow.”

With inputs from agencies

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