Biden to make US, India closest allies globally

New Delhi: Describing Indo-US ties as a partnership of trust at his first bilateral meeting on Tuesday with United States President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the friendship between the two countries "will continue to be a force for good for global peace and stability." On his part, the US President said that he is "committed to make the US-India partnership among the closest we have on earth."  

During the India-US bilateral meeting in Tokyo, Mr Modi said, "Both our countries share the same perspective about the Indo-Pacific region and are working to safeguard our shared values and common interests not only at the bilateral level but also with other like-minded countries. Quad and IPEF announced yesterday are active examples of this. Today our discussion will impart greater speed to this positive momentum... I am confident that the friendship between India and the USA will continue to be a force for good for global peace and stability, for the sustainability of the planet and for the well-being of mankind."

The PM said, "The India-USA strategic partnership is truly a partnership of trust. Our shared values and our common interests in many areas, including security, have strengthened the bonds of this trust. Our people-to-people relations and close economic ties also make our partnership unique. Trade and investment between us is also expanding continuously, although it is still much below our potential. I am sure that with the India-USA Investment Incentive Agreement between us, we will see concrete progress in the direction of investment."

At the meeting, the US President reiterated that there is so much that India and the US can and will do together. He said, "I’m committed to make the US-India partnership among the closest we have on earth."

Later, briefing about the bilateral meeting, the US announced that both nations have decided to "deepen their major defence partnership, encourage economic engagement that benefits both countries and expand our partnership on global health, pandemic preparedness and critical and emerging technologies."

New Delhi said that the meeting in Tokyo "resulted in substantive outcomes which will add depth and momentum to the bilateral partnership." It added that the PM "invited the US industry to partner with India to manufacture in India under the Make in India and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat."

Both sides launched an India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation. Co-led by the National Security Council secretariat in India and the US National Security Council, iCET would forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as AI, quantum computing, 5G/6G, biotech, space and semiconductors.

The US said that during the meeting with the PM, "the President condemned Russia’s unjustifiable war against Ukraine" while both leaders "committed to continue providing humanitarian assistance and discussed how to cooperate to manage disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine, in particular the rise in energy and food prices, to protect their respective citizens and the world."

Developments pertaining to both South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region were also discussed at the meeting, which is expected to have included the sharing of perspectives on China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

After the one-on-one with the US President, Mr Modi also held other bilateral meetings with his new Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, and his Japanese counterpart and host Fumio Kishida.

At the bilateral meeting with the new Australian Prime Minister, Mr Modi congratulated Mr Albanese on his election victory and extended an invitation to him to visit India at an early date. New Delhi said, "Both leaders reviewed the multi-faceted cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including in trade and investment, defence manufacturing, renewable energy, including green hydrogen, education, science and technology, agricultural research, sports and people-to-people ties. Both Prime Ministers affirmed their desire to continue the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship."

During the bilateral meeting with the Japanese PM, Mr Modi discussed the issue of Japanese assistance in defence manufacturing in India and also discussed issues like skill development and trade and technology. The Japanese PM invited Mr Modi to visit Japan later this year for the annual summit between the two nations.

PM Modi also met three former Japanese PMs, including Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga.