Washington, November 16: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would kick-off his five-day visit to the United States with an address to the influential American business community, which had a key role in the passage of the historic Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.
The American business community has termed the Prime Minister’s decision to start the trip by addressing the top leadership of the US business as “momentous occasion”.
At the luncheon address to be hosted by the US India Business Council (USIBC) and US Chamber of Commerce at the historic Hall of Flag of the Chamber building–built during the great depression–it is expected Singh would acknowledge the significant role played by the Indian and the US businesses in building the relationship between the two countries.
It would also be an opportunity for the Prime Minister, officials say, to formally thank the US business community for the key role played in the passage of the civilian nuclear deal.
The USIBC and Chamber of Commerce had hired lobbyists and campaigned nationwide and at the Capitol Hill in favour of the nuclear-deal.
With a membership of more than three million, Chamber of Commerce is the largest business organisations in the world and said to be the most influential one in the US.
–Agencies