PM Modi arrives in New York

Prime Minister Modi will have a packed agenda for the next two days in New York City and then in California from September 26-27. Photo: @PMOIndia.

Prime Minister Narendra on Thursday arrived in New York City to attend the U.N General Assembly and a series of bilateral engagements on its margins, and his five-day visit will also see him engage with major investment bankers and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in New York, and with Google, Facebook and Tesla in Silicon Valley on September 26 and 27. >More..>

An official told The Hindu there had been ‘very little time’ to organise the interactions ahead of the U.S. visit. Instead, the briefing came from BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who held a Facebook interaction on September 21.

The forthright statements and the use of the PM’s personal website and Twitter handles are giving rise to speculation that South Block is ceding ground to more ‘unofficial modes’ of public diplomacy in the Modi government.

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Live updates (in IST):

7 a.m.: The MEA's press briefing

6.15 a.m.: Start-ups, manufacturing, innovation will be the thrust areas of PM Modi's visit, says Indian Ambassador to the U.S.

6 a.m.: No meeting has been scheduled between PM Modi and Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, though both are staying at the same hotel in NYC: India.

5.55 a.m.: PM Modi to discuss media, technology and communication with Rupert Murdoch and others in NYC tomorrow.

5.45 a.m.: G4 summit of India, Germany, Brazil, Japan on Saturday, for the first time after 2004. All countries want permanent UNSC seats.

5:30 a.m. : External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweets: “A packed schedule awaits in the Big Apple. PM @narendramodi arrives in New York on the first part of his US visit.”

5:15 a.m. : Mr. Modi is expected to arrive at his New York hotel in 10 minutes.

5:00 a.m.:

Supporters gather outside "The Waldorf Astoria (New York)" to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: Varghese K. George

4:40 a.m.: The Prime Minister is received at the airport by Indian Ambassador Arun K. Singh, India’s envoy to the U.N. Asoke Mukerji, Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay.

4:29 a.m.: Mr. Modi arrives in New York.

3:45 a.m: Tight security in place at "The Waldorf Astoria (New York)" where Mr. Modi is to stay.

Here's Prime Minister Modi's complete itinerary:

After assuming office in June 2014, Mr. Modi has visited several countries in a bid to hard sell his government's 'Make In India' campaign and to boost bilateral relations. Here is an >interactive map of countries visited by the Prime Minister and the highlights of his visit.

(With inputs from PTI)