Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the whole world is looking at India, which has now emerged as a business-friendly destination, while asking CEOs of top US companies to invest in the country.
The PM also talked about India's landmark indirect tax reform GST and said it can be a subject of studies in US business schools.
On his arrival in the US earlier in the day, Modi was welcomed with loud cheers and applause by Indian community members waiting outside the Willard InterContinental Hotel to catch a glimpse of the Indian PM.
US President Donald Trump tweeted that "strategic issues" would be on the table when he holds talks with his "true friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday, as the two leaders look to strike a personal rapport in their maiden meeting. Modi also thanked Trump for the "warm personal welcome."
During his his interaction with a group of CEOs of top 20 American firms, Modi said that India attracted largest foreign direct investment (FDI) as a result of the NDA government policies in the last three years.
In a roundtable interaction with the group, comprising Tim Cook (Apple), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Sunder Pichai (Google), John Chambers (Cisco) and Jeff Bezos (Amazon), among others, Modi listed out steps taken by his government in the last three years and its next moves.
"The whole world is looking at India. 7,000 reforms alone by the Indian government for ease of (doing) business and minimum government, maximum governance," Gopal Bagley, spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, said in a tweet from inside the meeting, quoting the PM.
India's growth presents a win-win partnership for the country and the US, and American companies have a great opportunity to contribute to that, Modi told the CEOs, according to Bagley.
During the hour-long interaction, at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, where he is staying, Modi gave a patient hearing to the wish-list of the CEOs.
Among other CEOs present at the meeting were Shantanu Narayen (Adobe), Ajay Banga (Mastercard), David Farr (Emerson), besides Doug McMillon and Punit Renjen (Deloitte Global). Mukesh Aghi, president of the US India Business Council, was also present at the meeting.
Posting a group picture of the PM with the CEOs, Bagley said, "Strengthening the Indo-US economic partnership".
Later, the PM was scheduled to attend a lunch reception in the DC suburb of Virginia, where he will interact with the Indian community. About 600 members of the community are likely to attend the event.
Earlier in the day, Trump posted on his official (@POTUS) Twitter page: "Look forward to welcoming India's PM Modi to @WhiteHouse on Monday. Important strategic issues to discuss with a true friend!"
Modi, in his reply to Trump, thanked him for the "warm personal welcome" and said he was "greatly" looking forward to the meeting and discussions at the White House.
Modi will hold summit talks with Trump at the White House and the two leaders would spend several hours together in various settings, including one-on-one and delegation-level meetings, a reception and a working dinner.
The working dinner that Trump is hosting for Modi is the first-of-its-kind under the current US administration.
"The White House is very interested in making this a special visit. We're really seeking to roll out the red carpet. In fact, the two (leaders) will have dinner, a working dinner at the White House," a senior administration official told reporters at the White House.
"This will be the first dinner for a foreign dignitary at the White House under this administration. So, we think that's very significant," the official said.
ON MODI-TRUMP TABLE...
- H1-B visas: Trump administration's move to tighten H1-B visa rules, saying they are being abused to displace American workers, is a major concern. Indian tech firms are one of the largest beneficiaries.
- Terrorism: India wants a more stern US policy towards Pakistan which continues to back terror both in India and Afghanistan. There's not much clarity on India's role in America's Afghan policy.
- Paris climate deal: Trump's pulling out of the crucial 2015 accord, saying New Delhi makes its participation contingent on receiving massive foreign aid from developed countries, has ruffled India's feathers.
- Defence partnership: Under New Delhi's new strategic partners' policy, Indian defence majors are to tie up with US firms to build high-tech equipment like submarines, fighter aircraft and armoured vehicles.
- Chemistry: Will a Modi-Trump personal chemistry emerge Obama had a first-name relation with PM, but this time there's a very different US President.
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