Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited by the Speaker of the US House of Representative Paul Ryan, to address a joint meeting of the US Congress on June 8 during his visit to the United States. “The friendship between the United States and India is a pillar of stability in an important region of the world,” Ryan said.

“This address presents a special opportunity to hear from the elected leader of the world’s most populous democracy on how our two nations can work together to promote our shared values and to increase prosperity. We look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi to the US Capitol on June 8,” he said.

Modi will be the fifth prime minister of India to address a joint meeting of Congress, and the first since 2005. Earlier, Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh (July 19, 2005), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (September 14, 2000), P V Narasimha Rao (May 18, 1994) and Rajiv Gandhi (July 13, 1985) have addressed the joint meeting of the US Congress.

Ronak D Desai, a Fellow at New America and an Affiliate at the Belfer Center’s India and South Asia Program at Harvard University, said, “an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to address a Joint Meeting of Congress is significant, given past US policy towards Modi during his time as Chief Minister of Gujarat.”

"The President appreciates the important role played by Prime Minister Modi in the success of Paris Summit on Climate Change last November," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

"The White House has been in close touch with a range of Indian officials to discuss a potential visit by Prime Minister Modi to Washington. We're still engaged in those discussions. Obviously the President has a strong working relationship with Prime Minister Modi," Earnest said.

"President Obama has complemented the important role that Prime Minister Modi played in Paris in ensuring the successful completion of the Paris climate talks. The President had a long meeting with Prime Minister Modi in the context of that international meeting," he said.

"And of course, President Obama at the beginning of last year had an opportunity to be the guest of honour at India's Republic Day celebration. That obviously was a memorable visit for the President and he was the first President to be so honoured," Earnest said.

By Premji