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Narendra Modi begins first visit to US as PM of India India's Modi calls for reform in speech to UN
(about 2 hours later)
Indian PM Narendra Modi, long denied a US visa over religious riots in 2002, has begun an official visit at President Barack Obama's invitation. Narendra Modi has used his first speech to the UN as India's prime minister to renew his country's call for reform of the Security Council.
His trip, which began in New York, is aimed at boosting bilateral trade and courting US investment. UN institutions which reflected the imperatives of the 20th Century will not be effective in the 21st and should become more "participative", he argued.
He is due to address the UN General Assembly before heading to Washington for his first meeting with Mr Obama. India has long lobbied for a permanent seat on the Security Council.
The visit is seen as a personal triumph for Mr Modi, who faced a last-minute legal challenge. Advocating healthier lifestyles, Mr Modi also proposed creating an International Yoga Day.
A New York district court issued a summons in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Justice Centre, a non-profit human rights organisation as well as two survivors of the riots. Mr Modi has 21 days to respond. The Hindu politician is making his first trip to the US as prime minister at the invitation of President Barack Obama, after long being denied a US visa over religious riots in Gujarat in 2002, in which he denies any wrongdoing.
A last-minute legal challenge arose when a New York district court issued a summons in response to a lawsuit filed by two survivors of the riots among others, but he has 21 days to respond.
Correspondents say the summons appears to be largely symbolic and is unlikely to bring any serious legal consequences.Correspondents say the summons appears to be largely symbolic and is unlikely to bring any serious legal consequences.
Mr Modi, who was the Gujarat chief minister at the time of the deadly riots, has always denied any wrongdoing and has been cleared by Indian courts. Mr Modi began his visit to New York with a visit to the 9/11 Memorial where he laid yellow roses to commemorate Indians killed in the attacks. He is due to travel to Washington DC for talks with Mr Obama.
He took over as India's prime minister after leading his Bharatiya Janata Party to a spectacular win in the summer's general election. 'Genuine partnership'
Mending ties Calling for a "genuine international partnership", Mr Modi said an unreformed UN faced the "risk of irrelevance".
Mr Modi began his visit to New York with a visit to the 9/11 Memorial where he laid yellow roses to commemorate Indians killed in the attacks. "We will face the risk of continuing turbulence with no-one capable of addressing it," he told the UN General Assembly.
The 15-strong UN Security Council has been dominated by the same five veto-wielding permanent members: the US, Russia, China, France and the UK.
On the issue of UN peacekeeping, where South Asian states have contributed forces in disproportionate numbers, the Indian leader called for troop contributor nations to be involved in the decision-making process.
Mr Modi also highlighted the potential of his country as a global manufacturing and technology hub.
Advocating yoga, he said it was about more than just exercise, it could help people connect better with the planet and he suggested that it could "help us deal with climate change".
Other days recognised by the UN
World Tourism Day - 27 September
International Day of Happiness - 20 March
World Soil Day - 5 December
International Mother Earth Day - 22 April
International Jazz Day - 30 April
Delhi and Washington have strong security and trade ties, but relations have deteriorated in recent months.Delhi and Washington have strong security and trade ties, but relations have deteriorated in recent months.
India's refusal to sign a global trade deal, a row over alleged American surveillance on the governing BJP and a diplomatic spat involving an Indian envoy soured ties. India's refusal to sign a global trade deal, a row over alleged American surveillance on the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a diplomatic spat involving an Indian envoy soured ties.
Mr Modi's visit is expected to go a long way in mending these strained relations. During his four-day visit, Mr Modi is expected to meet top leaders of Fortune 500 companies, including Google, IBM, GE and Boeing.
Trade and business are expected to top the agenda of the visit which comes a day after Mr Modi unveiled his new "Make in India" campaign, aiming to turn the country into a global manufacturing hub. The highlight of the visit is expected to be his sold-out appearance at Madison Square Garden where he will address an audience of more than 20,000 people.
During his four-day visit, he is expected to meet top leaders of Fortune 500 companies, including Google, IBM, GE and Boeing. The US took the decision to bar him from visiting in 2005 over the Gujarat riots in which around 1,000 people were killed, the majority of them Muslims. He was chief minister of the state at the time.
At his talks with President Obama, he is expected to discuss issues "to expand and deepen the US-India strategic partnership". America was the last major Western country to lift restrictions in the run-up to this year's general election, when it became clear that Mr Modi was leading the race for the BJP.
The highlight of the visit though is expected to be his sold-out appearance at Madison Square Garden where he will address an audience of more than 20,000 people.
The event is organised by prominent members of the Indian diaspora in the US and Mr Modi's speech from a rotating stage will be beamed live with English subtitles to giant TV screens at Times Square in central New York.
The visit is the first made by Mr Modi to the US since a decision was made to ban him in 2005 over the Gujarat riots in which around 1,000 people were killed, the majority of them Muslims.
The US was the last major Western country to end the unofficial boycott of him in the run-up to the general election when it became clear that he was leading the race.
And after his landslide win, Mr Obama called Mr Modi and invited him for a visit.