India and the United States have vowed to push their strategic bilateral relationship to new levels, resolve issues blocking the implementation of the civil nuclear deal and cooperate in counter terrorism and work together in third countries like Afghanistan. They announced a slew of concrete steps towards building a counter-terror platform.
In a meeting at the White House in Washington last night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama, agreed to make joint and concerted efforts for countering terrorism.
This will include dismantling of safe havens and terrorist and criminal networks. India and the US will now work together to target the financial and tactical support for the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Al-Qaeda, Haqqani network and the D-Company and its head Dawood Ibrahim. Dawood is widely believed to be in Pakistan, and the Haqqani network, which has been active along the Afghanistan border, has been working against both Indian and US interests.
In a joint statement, both the leaders reiterated their call for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai to justice. Noting that two-way trade has increased five fold since 2001 to nearly USD 100 billion, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Modi committed to facilitate the actions necessary to increase trade another five fold.
President Obama and Prime Minister Modi recognized that US and Indian businesses have a critical role to play in sustainable, inclusive, and job-led growth and development.
The meeting also covered broad range of issues including cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, manufacturing, defence maritime security. Mr. Modi raised the demand for easier access to Indian services in the United States. The two countries reached an agreement on extending their defence cooperation for ten more years. The Prime Minister also invited American companies to participate in Indian defence manufacturing sector.
This was the first formal meeting between the two leaders spread over delegation and restricted levels, which covered terrorism in South Asia and emerging threats in West Asia. Emphasizing that India supports trade facilitation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the US President that a solution must be found on its concerns over food security at the World Trade Organisation, WTO.
Appearing at a joint press appearance with President Obama, Mr Modi said, he had an open discussion on the WTO issue. He also said, India supports trade facilitation but a solution that takes care of our food security must be found. India took a tough stand over food security issue at the WTO Geneva talks in July.
Mr. Modi expressed the hope that the India-US relations will make fast progress. He said, both the leaders are committed to taking forward the civil nuclear partnership agreement. He said, they are serious about resolving issues relating to civil nuclear energy cooperation at the earliest. This is important for India for meeting energy security needs.
In the defence sector, the Prime Minister said, both the sides decided to take forward the dialogue in security and defence. He invited the US defence companies to participate in Indian defence manufacturing sector to help in its development. India has recently raised the foreign investment cap in the defence sector from 26 to 49 per cent.
Sharing concerns over the threat of terrorism in South Asia and emerging challenges in West Asia, where Islamist group ISIS has been on the rampage, Mr. Modi said the two countries agreed to intensify cooperation in counter terrorism and intelligence sharing. Mr Obama said, India is emerging as a major power for peace and security in the region.
He said, the two leaders discussed various issues including trade and economic cooperation, cooperate in exploration of space and scientific developments especially to deal with challenges like Ebola.
Mr. Modi invited the US President to visit India and the invitation has been accepted by the White House. Joint secretary (America) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Vikram Kumar Doraiswami said that if Mr Obama visits India in the rest of his tenure, he will be the first US President to visit India twice. Mr Obama visited India in November 2010.
Expressing confidence that their bilateral economic ties would improve further, Mr Modi sought easier access for Indian service companies to the US economy. The Prime Minister asked Mr.Obama to take steps whereby India's service companies can get access to the American economy. The Prime Minister said, both countries had a multitude of common economic priorities.
Bilateral trade between the two countries in goods stood at nearly USD 64 billion last year while there has been substantial foreign direct investment flows from the US. The new phase of the India-US Vaccine Action Programme will be launched to develop affordable vaccines for dengue, malaria and tuberculosis.
The two leaders issued a joint statement which said that India and US have agreed to a new enhanced strategic partnership on energy security clean energy and climate change. US will help in making Ajmer, Allahabad and Vishakhapatnam smart cities.
They expressed concern about rising tensions over maritime territorial disputes. Both leaders affirmed the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region.
Later, addressing the US-India Business Council, Mr. Modi invited businessmen to invest in India. He said, India is changing and it is doing away with the unnecessary laws.
Addressing his last function before leaving the US after a five day visit to New York and Washington, he said, his good governance policy will be people friendly.
Mr Modi said, there should be vibrant in economy, easy taxation and processes. Meanwhile Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left Washington. He will reach Frankfurt this evening on his way to New Delhi.
