Indian 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.
"It is very appropriate that the leaders of the world's largest free market democracy would address the business audience of both countries at the very building of the US Chambers of Commerce, which was build during the Great Depression of the United States," USIBC president Ron Somers said.
"It is going to be a momentous occasion. It would be for the first time that many American business leaders would be listening to him for the first time in person," he said.
The exclusive luncheon with the Indian Prime Minister is scheduled for November 23. The event would be chaired by Pepsico CEO and Chairman, Indra K Nooyi and Tom Donohue,president of the US Chamber of Commerce.
"A deepening US-India partnership holds great promise for our countries and for the globe - for all the right reasons.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the father of India's economic reforms, will address the US and Indian business community to share his vision of the US-India partnership," said the invite
sent by USIBC to its members.
Though the schedule of the Prime Minister has not been announced yet, he is expected to arrive in the US on Sunday,November 22 and then leave Washington on November 26 to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago from November 27 to 29.
The US President Barack Obama has invited Singh as the first State Guest of his Presidency. Obama would hold the First State Dinner at the White House for the Indian Prime Minister on November 24.