On Saturday, PM Narendra Modi landed in the Houston, United States of America for his week-long state visit to the country. As he landed in the Houston airport, PM Modi was received by Director, Trade and International Affairs, Christopher Olson and other US officials. US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla were also present.
In the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met CEOs from the energy sector on the first day of his week-long US visit on Saturday. The Ministry of External Affairs said that the meeting focused on working together for energy security and expanding mutual investment opportunities between India and the United States.
According to ANI, PM Modi met the CEOs of 17 global energy companies at a round table in Houston this morning. The combined net worth of these companies is estimated to be $1 trillion with their operations in over 150 countries. The objective of the meeting was to deepen the energy cooperation of the two sides as part of the strategic energy partnership
“Further energising India-USA friendship. Among the first engagements of PM Narendra Modi in Houston is a meeting with CEOs from the energy sector. India and USA are looking to diversify cooperation in this sector,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a tweet.
On the sidelines of Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with energy sector CEO’s in Houston, Tellurian and Petronet signed MOUs for up to five million tonnes of LNG through equity investment in Driftwood.
Getting straight to business.
PM @narendramodi just concluded a fruitful interaction with top energy sector CEOs at a Roundtable meeting in #Houston. Discussion focused on working together for energy security and expanding mutual investment opportunities between India & US. pic.twitter.com/UHnEFd9Oll
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 22, 2019
Reportedly, the CEOs talked about enhancing their presence in India and lauded government efforts towards Ease of Doing Business. They praised Modi government for the steps taken towards deregulation in the energy sector, supported reforms and policies and were upbeat on the Indian economy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also interacted with the members of the Sikh community in Houston. The Sikh community congratulated PM Modi on ‘some of the path-breaking decisions taken by the Government of India.’
#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with members of Sikh community in Houston. During the interaction they congratulated PM Modi on some decisions taken by the Government of India. The community has also submitted a memorandum to the PM. #UnitedStates pic.twitter.com/uSBIgrEEfX
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2019
Submitting the memorandum, the Sikh community urged PM Modi to address the issues of the 1984 Sikh genocide, in which thousands of Sikhs were brutally murdered across the country after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The Sikh community also demanded that the name of Delhi Airport should be changed from Indira Gandhi International Airport to Guru Nanak Dev International Airport.
Avinder Chawla, Sitting Commissioner, Arvin, California said, “We submitted a memorandum and thanked Modiji for what he has done for Sikh community. We thanked him for the Kartarpur corridor. President Trump is coming here tomorrow (at Howdy Modi), shows how important a leader PM Modi is.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and interacted with a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits in Houston. After interacting with PM Modi, the group of Kashmiri Pandits said they “unequivocally supported the steps that have been taken” by the government in India. The group of Kashmiri Pandits thanked PM Modi for the steps taken.
Reportedly, one of the members of the Kashmiri Pandit group went on to kiss PM Modi’s hands to thank him on behalf of 7 lakh Kashmiri Pandits. The delegation thanked PM Modi for the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
#WATCH United States: A delegation of Kashmiri Pandits meets and interacts with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A member kisses PM Modi’s hands and says, “Thank you on behalf of 7 Lakh Kashmiri Pandits.” pic.twitter.com/8xKBqNlOvM
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also joined the Kashmiri Pandit community in reciting ‘Namaste Sharade Devi’ shloka as he met them in Houston.
#WATCH United States: Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins in reciting ‘Namaste Sharade Devi’ shloka while the Kashmiri Pandits meeting and interacting with him also recite it, in Houston. pic.twitter.com/pXZdAuvEvG
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2019
After meeting Prime Minister Modi, Surinder Kaul, one of the invitees representing Kashmiri Pandit community said PM Modi told them that the community has suffered a lot and together we have to build new Kashmir. “Our youth presented him with the messages that the community have prepared for him. I presented a memorandum on behalf of the community. He gladly accepted that,” said Kaul.
“We thanked him on behalf of the 700,000 Kashmiri Pandits all over the globe for such a historic decision. We assured him that our community will work with the govt to fulfil your dream for a Kashmir which is peaceful, full of growth where people are all happy,” Kaul added.
PM Modi also met a group of Bohra Muslims in Houston, who felicitated him. The Bohra community recalled PM Modi’s visit to Indore last year to attend a programme of their community as well as highlight PM Modi’s association with Syedna Sahib, tweeted PMO.
#WATCH United States: Members of Bohra community meet and interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Houston. They also felicitated the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/KjKrgcSnRx
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2019
Later in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the much-awaited ‘Howdy, Modi!’ event where US President Donald Trump will be joining him to address a mega rally. More than 50,000 Indians will be attending the event, which is scheduled to take place at the sprawling NRG football stadium in Houston in the largest gathering ever for an elected foreign leader visiting the US, other than the Pope.
From Houston, PM Modi will fly to New York where he will address the annual high-level UN General Assembly session in New York on September 27 and will have a packed agenda of bilateral and multilateral engagements.
