PM Modi's US Visit: Sushma Swaraj to meet nearly 100 counterparts

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is scheduled to meet nearly 100 Foreign Ministers during her 10-day visit to the US from September 24 and will join the delegation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will reach New York on September 26.

Swaraj, who will attend a series of plurilaterals including meetings of foreign ministers of G-4, SAARC, IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa), G-77, BRICS countries, will also hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts with whom she has not met before like UK foreign minister Philip Hammond, MEA Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

Asked if Swaraj would be accompanying Modi when he goes to the US, the Spokesperson said she will precede the Prime Minister and will stay back to attend a UN event to mark Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary as 'Day of Non-violence' on October 2.

The External Affairs Minister will join the Prime Minister's official delegation and will accompany him for rest of his engagements including in Washington when Modi will be meeting US President Barack Obama on September 30, he replied further.

The External Affairs Minister will also attend a meeting on Palestine in the UN.

Giving the details of Swaraj's programme, Akbaruddin said she will also attend meetings of foreign ministers of G-15, Commonwealth countries among other plurilaterals.