Modi meets Obama: 9 key issues that they discussed

The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama met on June 7 at the White House.

This was the third major bilateral summit and the leaders reviewed the deepening strategic partnership between the two nations.

The joint statement by the leaders pledged to pursue new opportunities under the following points.

1.Battle against climate change

The two reiterated their commitment to pursue low greenhouse gas emission development strategies in the pre-2020 period and to develop long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies.
Both countries are committed to working together and with others to promote full implementation of the Paris Agreement to address the urgent threats posed by climate change.

2.Clean Energy Finance

The United States welcomed the launch of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), recognized the critical role it can play in the development and deployment of solar power.

3.Strengthening Global Non-proliferation

The President thanked the Prime Minister for his substantive contribution to and active participation in 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., and welcomed his offer to host a Summit on Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism in 2018.
The United States and India will work together to combat the threat of terrorists accessing and using chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological materials, the joint statement said.
The US re-affirmed that India is ready for nuclear supplier’s group membership.

4.Securing the Domains: Land, Maritime, Air, Space, and Cyber

The leaders applauded the completion of a roadmap for cooperation under the 2015 U.S.-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region, which will serve as a guide for collaboration in the years to come.

5.Standing Together Against Terrorism and Violent Extremism

The leaders acknowledged the continued threat posed to human civilisation by terrorism and condemn the recent terrorist incidents from Paris to Pathankot, from Brussels to Kabul. They resolved to redouble their efforts, bilaterally and with other like-minded countries, to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorism anywhere in the world and the infrastructure that supports them.

6.Bolstering Economic and Trade Ties

The leaders highlighted the strong and expanding economic relationship between the United States and India and committed to support sustainable, inclusive, and robust economic growth.
In order to substantially increase bilateral trade, they pledged to explore new opportunities to break down barriers to the movement of goods and services, and support deeper integration into global supply chains, thereby creating jobs and generating prosperity in both economies.

7.Expanding Cooperation: Science & Technology and Health

The leaders affirmed their nations’ mutual support in exploring the most fundamental principles of science as embodied in the arrangement reached to cooperate on building a Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) in India in the near future and welcomed the formation of the India-U.S. Joint Oversight Group to facilitate agency coordination of funding and oversight of the project.

8.Global Leadership

With the historic adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015, and recognising its universality, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to implement this ambitious agenda domestically and internationally and work in a collaborative partnership for the effective achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

9.Building People-to-People Ties

Both sides committed to open additional consulates in each other’s country. India will be opening a new consulate in Seattle and the United States will open a new consulate at a mutually agreed location in India.

The leaders announced that the United States and India will be Travel and Tourism Partner Countries for 2017, and committed to facilitate visas for each other’s nationals.