New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): US President Joe Biden on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed issues ranging from defence cooperation, and technology sharing. The US President also congratulated India for the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The two leaders held bilateral talks at PM residence – 7, Lok Kalyan, Marg in New Delhi, ahead of the G20 Summit over the weekend.
During this, India and the US also settled the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute. Notably, the six previous disputes were resolved during PM Modi’s state visit to the US.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed United States President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., to India today, reaffirming the close and enduring partnership between India and the United States. The leaders expressed their appreciation for the substantial progress underway to implement the ground breaking achievements of Prime Minister Modi’s historic, June 2023, visit to Washington,” the India-US joint statement read.
The two leaders called on their governments to continue the work of transforming the India-US Strategic Partnership across all dimensions of our multifaceted global agenda, based on trust and mutual understanding.
After the meeting, both the leaders lauded the India-US relations and said that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good.
“Happy to have welcomed @POTUS @JoeBidento 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Our meeting was very productive. We were able to discuss numerous topics which will further economic and people-to-people linkages between India and USA. The friendship between our nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good,” PM Modi said in a post on ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter).
President Biden also affirmed support towards making the India-US partnership stronger, closer, and more dynamic. “Great seeing you, Mr Prime Minister. Today, and throughout the G20, we’ll affirm that the United States-India partnership is stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history,” President Biden posted on X.
The two leaders re-emphasized that the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, inclusion, pluralism, and equal opportunities for all citizens are critical to the success our countries enjoy and that these values strengthen our relationship. “PM Modi and President Biden also lauded the settlement of the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute between India and the United States. This follows the unprecedented settlement of six outstanding bilateral trade disputes in the WTO in June 2023,” the joint statement read.
President Biden also lauded India’s G20 Presidency for further demonstrating how the G20 as a forum is delivering important outcomes. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the G20 and expressed confidence that the outcomes of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi will advance the shared goals of accelerating sustainable development, bolstering multilateral cooperation, and building global consensus around inclusive economic policies to address our greatest common challenges, including fundamentally reshaping and scaling up multilateral development banks, as per the statement. During the bilateral meeting, PM Modi and President Biden reaffirmed the importance of the Quad in supporting a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Modi looked forward to welcoming President Biden to the next Quad Leaders’ Summit to be hosted by India in 2024.
India also welcomed the US decision to co-lead the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Pillar on Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport, further to the US decision to join IPOI in June 2023.
President Biden reaffirmed his support for a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member. The US also welcomed India’s candidature for the UNSC non-permanent seat in 2028-29, the White House said in a statement. “Continuing to share the view that global governance must be more inclusive and representative, President Biden reaffirmed his support for a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member, and, in this context, welcomed once again India’s candidature for the UNSC non-permanent seat in 2028-29,” the joint statement read.
The two leaders reaffirmed technology’s defining role in deepening our strategic partnership and lauded ongoing efforts through the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to build open, accessible, secure, and resilient technology ecosystems and value chains, based on mutual confidence and trust, which reinforce our shared values and democratic institutions. India and the US also intend to undertake a midterm review of iCET in September 2023 to continue to drive momentum toward the next annual iCET review, co-led by the National Security Advisors of both countries, in early 2024.
During the meeting, President Biden congratulated PM Modi and the scientists and engineers of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the historic success of Chandrayaan-3 at the south polar region of the Moon, as well as the successful launch of India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1. The leaders welcomed efforts towards the establishment of a Working Group for commercial space collaboration under the existing India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group. Determined to deepen our partnership in outer space exploration, ISRO and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have commenced discussions on modalities, capacity building, and training for mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024, and are continuing efforts to finalise a strategic framework for human space flight cooperation by the end of 2023, the joint statement read.
India and the US also intend to increase coordination on planetary defence to protect planet Earth and space assets from the impact of asteroids and near-Earth objects, including US support for India’s participation in asteroid detection and tracking via the Minor Planet Center.
The leaders further reiterated their support for building resilient global semiconductor supply chains, noting in this respect a multi-year initiative of Microchip Technology, Inc., to invest approximately USD 300 million in expanding its research and development presence in India and Advanced Micro Device’s announcement to invest USD 400 million in India over the next five years to expand research, development, and engineering operations in India.
The leaders also expressed satisfaction at the ongoing implementation of announcements made in June 2023 by US companies, Micron, LAM Research, and Applied Materials. PM Modi and President Biden reaffirmed their commitment to building resilient technology value chains and linking defence industrial ecosystems.
The leaders recommitted their administrations to promoting policies and adapting regulations that facilitate greater technology sharing, co-development, and co-production opportunities between Indian and US industry, government and academic institutions. They also welcomed continued engagement through an inter-agency monitoring mechanism under the auspices of the bilateral Strategic Trade Dialogue, launched in June 2023.
They also welcomed the signing of an MoU between Indian universities, represented by the Council of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT Council), and the Association of American Universities (AAU) to establish the India-US Global Challenges Institute, with a combined initial commitment of at least USD 10 million, as per the joint statement.
PM Modi and President Biden also welcomed the growing number of multi-institutional collaborative education partnerships, such as those between New York University-Tandon and IIT Kanpur Advanced Research Center, and the Joint Research Centers of the State University of New York at Buffalo and IIT Delhi, Kanpur, Jodhpur, and BHU, in the areas of critical and emerging technologies.
The Global Challenges Institute will bring together leading research and higher education institutions from across our two nations, including beyond AAU and IIT membership, to advance new frontiers in science and technology, spanning collaboration in sustainable energy and agriculture, health and pandemic preparedness, semiconductor technology and manufacturing, advanced materials, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, and quantum science.
Prime Minister Modi and President Biden reaffirmed their commitment to deepen and diversify the India-US Major Defence Partnership through expanded cooperation in new and emerging domains such as space and AI, and accelerated defence industrial collaboration.
The two leaders also pledged high-level of engagement to realise their ambitious vision for an enduring India-US partnership. “Prime Minister Modi and President Biden pledged to sustain the high-level of engagement between our governments, industries, and academic institutions and realize their ambitious vision for an enduring India-US partnership that advances the aspirations of our people for a bright and prosperous future, serves the global good, and contributes to a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific,” the joint statement further stated.
Earlier in June, Prime Minister Modi was on a state visit to the US from June 21 to 24. During this, he led a special yoga event at the UN Headquarters, held bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden at the White House and also addressed the UN Congress. Meanwhile, the 18th G20 Summit is scheduled to begin at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre in New Delhi on September 9. (ANI)
