Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day official visit to the United States began with his participation in the Quad Leaders' Summit, focusing on strengthening India-US ties and promoting cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. A key highlight was Modi's $7.5 million Cancer Moonshot grant to support cancer prevention and treatment in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the United States on Saturday for a three-day official visit, participated in the Quad Leaders' Summit and held bilateral discussions with US President Joe Biden. In his opening remarks at the summit, Modi reiterated India’s dedication to Quad cooperation in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. He also stated that the Quad is “here to stay, assist, partner, and complement.”
Here are the latest updates from Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US:
In his opening remarks at the Quad Summit, PM Modi made a subtle reference to China, stating, “We are not against anyone. We all support a rules-based international order, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of all issues.” He reaffirmed India’s commitment to Quad cooperation, emphasizing that “a free, open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific is our priority.” Modi highlighted that together, the Quad nations have launched numerous positive initiatives in areas such as health security, critical and emerging technologies, climate change, and capacity building.
PM Modi also announced a USD 7.5 million grant to support cancer testing, screening, and diagnostics in the Indo-Pacific during the Quad Leaders’ Cancer Moonshot event, a special initiative aimed at preventing, detecting, and treating cancer in the region. Modi assured India's assistance in radiotherapy treatment and capacity building.
PM Narendra Modi announced a $7.5 million contribution to support sampling and detection kits, as well as vaccines, to combat cervical cancer.
Speaking at the Cancer Moonshot event in Delaware, held as part of the Quad Summit, PM Modi highlighted India's efforts in addressing cervical cancer and expressed readiness to share the country's expertise in the field. The Cancer Moonshot, a key Quad initiative, aims to implement innovative strategies for preventing, detecting, treating, and reducing the impact of cancer on patients and their families.
PM Modi thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for organizing the event, emphasizing the Quad's shared commitment to affordable and accessible healthcare. Reflecting on the Quad's previous vaccine initiative for the Indo-Pacific region during the COVID-19 pandemic, Modi expressed optimism about tackling challenges like cervical cancer together. "Collaboration is essential for cure," he said.
He further elaborated on India’s ongoing efforts, which include a cost-effective cervical cancer screening program, the development of a domestic vaccine for the disease, and the implementation of new treatment protocols with the aid of artificial intelligence.
Additionally, PM Modi highlighted India’s world-leading health insurance program and the establishment of special centers to provide affordable medicines. He reiterated India's willingness to share its experience and expertise in cancer care, announcing the provision of sampling kits, detection kits, and vaccines worth $7.5 million.
Modi also pledged India's cooperation in radiotherapy treatment, capacity building, and the contribution of 40 million vaccine doses for Indo-Pacific countries under the Gavi and Quad initiatives.
During the summit, Modi reflected on the first Quad Summit held in 2021 under President Biden’s leadership. He remarked, “In such a short time, we have expanded our cooperation unprecedentedly in every direction. I thank you for your steadfast commitment, your leadership, and your contributions to the Quad.”
Ahead of the summit, Modi had an “extremely fruitful” meeting with Biden, where the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on global and regional issues, including the Indo-Pacific. A joint statement issued after the meeting described the India-US partnership as “decisively delivering on an ambitious agenda that serves the global good,” calling it the “defining partnership of the 21st century.”
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Modi and Biden expressed confidence in the strength and resilience of their relationship and emphasized its importance across all areas of human endeavor. The two leaders applauded the success of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in deepening cooperation in key technology sectors.
During the meeting, Biden praised Modi for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine and commended India’s message of peace and humanitarian support for Ukraine, especially in the energy sector, as well as the importance of international law. Modi, in turn, expressed appreciation for Biden’s contributions in advancing the India-US partnership.
Following the meeting, Biden posted on X, saying, “The United States' partnership with India is stronger, closer, and more dynamic than at any time in history. Prime Minister Modi, each time we sit down, I'm struck by our ability to find new areas of cooperation.”
PM Modi and other leaders issued the Wilmington Declaration during the Quad Leaders' Summit, pledging to make the UN Security Council more inclusive by expanding representation to countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In their joint statement, the Quad leaders reaffirmed their commitment to international cooperation and emphasized the need to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
The summit also saw the leaders pledge to enhance marine security cooperation and collaborate on technology solutions to address key challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a notable moment, US President Joe Biden was caught on a hot mic during discussions with PM Modi and the Australian and Japanese leaders, stating, "China is testing us." After his opening remarks, Biden was heard saying that President Xi Jinping was “looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China’s interests.” The Quad summit has condemned China's actions and explored strategies to counter them as part of their broader agenda.
In a separate post on X, PM Modi expressed his gratitude to President Biden for returning 297 antiquities to India. Modi remarked, "Deepening cultural ties and strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural properties. I am extremely grateful to President Biden and the US Government for ensuring the return of 297 invaluable antiquities to India."
At the time of writing, PM Modi has arrived in New York to participate in the UN Summit of the Future during the UN General Assembly. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, stating, "PM Narendra Modi arrives in New York, the second leg of his 3 day visit to the USA. PM will address the UN Summit of the Future, interact with the community and attend other programs."