New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US vice-president Mike Pence in Singapore on Wednesday, with Mr Modi saying there was only one source of global terror attacks — Pakistan. On trade — on which the Trump administration has adopted a strident position globally — Mr Modi reminded the US vice-president that American exports to India had risen by 50 per cent in the past two years, with India importing $4 billion of US oil and gas this year.
Giving details of the meeting, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters that Mr Modi also hoped the US would take into account the rich contribution of Indian-Americans in every sphere while deciding on the H-1B visa issue.
The India-US strategic partnership and a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region was also discussed, something that is seen by observers in the context of increased Chinese military assertiveness. The two also discussed enhancement in defence ties with India having acquired billions of dollars of US defence platforms, equipment and weaponry in the past decade. But significantly, Mr Modi pitched for US cooperation in making India a hub for making defence equipment.
