NEW DELHI, Sep 8: President Joe Biden frequently says that what sets him apart is his ability to make friends on a global stage. His presence at the Group of 20 summit in India could reveal just how deep and sincere those friendships are.
For more than two years, Biden has been cultivating a relationship with the G20 host, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The prime minister’s home was Biden’s first stop after he arrived in New Delhi on Friday. The US President received a Bollywood-style greeting after Air Force One landed, with dancers in flowing purple outfits gyrating to pop music.
Having feted Modi with a state visit to Washington in June, Biden is banking on the idea that successful diplomacy depends on personal connections. But any connection will largely be outside of the public view. White House reporters travelling with Biden were denied access to the leaders’ meeting. Indian state media released on social media pictures of the leaders during the 52-minute meeting.
The two have had more than a dozen in-person or virtual engagements since 2021 as both look to tighten the US-India partnership amid shared major concerns. Those include an increasingly assertive China and monumental challenges posed by climate change, artificial intelligence, global supply chain resilience and other issues.
Modi has heavily branded the summit as his own. The Indian prime minister has pictures of himself posted along the highway from the airport, greeting G20 delegates with quotes about climate change, innovation and India’s unique role as an advocate for developing countries. As a result, Biden will be something of a houseguest when he meets with his Indian counterpart.
“This meeting will be taking place at the prime minister’s residence — so it is unusual in that respect,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Thursday aboard Air Force One. “This is not your typical bilateral visit to India with meetings taking place in the prime minister’s office.”
Biden, a centre-left Democrat, and Modi, a conservative Hindu nationalist, are hardly ideological soulmates. Yet, both leaders are increasingly drawn together by China’s military and economic maneuverings in the Indo-Pacific. (AP)
