Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the US for an official state visit from June 21 to 24, where he will be hosted by
US President Joe Biden at the White House.
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This will be Narendra Modi’s first state visit to the US during his nine-year long reign as prime minister.
The last state visit to the US by an Indian was by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from November 23 to 25, 2009.
While PM Modi has visited the US multiple times during his tenure, none of the visits were categorised as a state visit,
Which is the highest ranked visit according to diplomatic protocol.
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What are state visits?
A state visit is a formal visit by the head of state of one country to the head of state of another country.
A state visit is the highest level of international visit, and its purpose is to confirm the good relationship between the countries concerned.
The King is the only person who can make a state visit on behalf of the Netherlands. He is typically accompanied by his wife, Queen Máxima, and often by a business delegation.
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The King makes one or two state visits a year, and there are two incoming visits a year to the Netherlands by heads of state of friendly nations.
A state visit is a formal visit by a head of state to a foreign country, at the invitation of the head of state of that foreign country,
with the latter also acting as the official host for the duration of the state visit. Speaking for the host, it is generally called a state reception.
State visits are considered to be the highest expression of friendly bilateral relations between two sovereign states,
And are in general characterised by an emphasis on official public ceremonies.
Less formal visits than a state visit to another country with a lesser emphasis on ceremonial events,
by either a head of state or a head of government,
Can be classified (in descending order of magnitude) as either an official visit, an official working visit, a working visit,
A guest-of-government visit, or a private visit.
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Components of a state visit
The visiting head of state is immediately greeted upon arrival by the host (or by a lesser official representative,
If the two heads of state are to meet later at another location) and by his or her ambassador (or other head of mission) accredited to the host country.
A 21-gun salute is fired in honor of the visiting head of state.
The playing of the two national anthems by a military band. The guest country’s anthem is usually played first.
A review of a military guard of honour.
The visiting head of state is formally introduced to senior officials/representatives of
the host country and the hosting head of state is introduced to the delegation accompanying the visiting head of state.
An exchange of gifts between the two heads of state.
A state dinner, either white tie or black tie, is mounted by the hosting head of state,
with the visiting head of state being the guest of honour.
A visit to the legislature of the host country, often with the visiting head of
the state being invited to deliver a formal address to the assembled members of the legislature.
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