'Make in India' dominates Modi's first full day in US

New York, Sep 24: When Thursday dawns here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to launch a full day of economic diplomacy, cajoling titans of industry, finance and media to invest in his hallmark "Make in India" programme. Modi, who arrived here Wednesday evening local time to a rousing welcome from members of the diaspora, has a double agenda for the five-day visit spanning the nation's two coasts: High-level diplomacy as he attends UN summit of heads of state and government, and promoting his "Make in India" and "Digital India" initiatives. Outside of the UN, Vikas Swarup, the external affairs ministry spokesman, told reporters here Wednesday, "Start-ups, innovation and manufacturing are the thrust areas of this visit." Ambassador to the US Arun Singh said that the focus on the economic dimension in the visit follows the strategic and commercial dialogue that ended this week in Washington. Having developed political and strategic ties, it was time for the commercial dimension, especially with the goal of expanding bilateral trade to 500 billion per year that was set by President Barack Obama during his Republic Day visit, he added. After an evening of informal meetings on Wednesday with community members from several places, including New York and Chicago metro areas and Georgia, Modi switches gears Thursday focusing on his economic agenda. Modi's manufacturing agenda will have a special place in his meetings on Thursday. Singh told reporters that his meetings will be with leaders in the finance, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. His first meeting of the day is a roundtable with many leaders of the finance sector at Hotel Waldorf Astoria where he is staying.