India-US agree on joint efforts in dismantling of safe havens for terrorist networks
Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with US President Barack Obama on "substantive" bilateral, regional and international issues including defence, security, trade and situation in West Asia in view of threat by Islamic State militants.
Modi drove straight from Blair House to the famous West Wing of the White House to hold talks with Obama, first in restrictive format followed by delegation level. This is the second meeting between Modi and Obama, who hosted a private dinner for the Indian Prime Minister on his arrival from New York.
Earlier, in the day Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the statue of the Father of the Nation here in the US capital.
A large number of Indian-Americans were present to welcome the Prime Minister who was accompanied by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj when he arrived at the Indian Embassy to pay tribute to the Gandhi statue in front of the mission.
On the last day of his five-day visit to the US, the Prime Minister also met US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Read: Narendra Modi, Barack Obama to focus on West Asia
While Modi was accompanied by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Ambassador S Jaishankar and other senior officials of the MEA and PMO while Obama was assisted by Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Advisor Susan Rice and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal.
Yesterday, Modi and Obama had met in an informal setting in Blue Room of the White House and shared their experiences after taking over as Prime Minister and the President respectively apart from discussing areas of cooperation in combating Ebola virus and the situation in war-torn Afghanistan.
Read: US President Obama welcomes PM Narendra Modi, greets him with ‘Kem Chho?’
Terming the Indo-US relationship as "robust, reliable and enduring", Modi and aid the true potential of the ties was yet to be fully realised and the advent of a new government in India was a natural opportunity to broaden and deepen the ties.
For the first time, writing a joint editorial, the Indian Prime Minister and the American President said it was time to set a "new agenda" and with a reinvigorated level of ambition and greater confidence both the countries can go beyond modest and conventional goals.
Read: After showing strength in New York, Narendra Modi meets Obama over dinner in White House
"This will be an agenda that enables us to find mutually rewarding ways to expand our collaboration in trade, investment and technology that harmonize with India's ambitious development agenda, while sustaining the United States as the global engine of growth," they said in the editorial published in the Washington Post.
The two leaders said that "today our partnership is robust, reliable and enduring, and it is expanding. Our relationship involves more bilateral collaboration than ever before - not just at the federal level but also at the state and local levels, between our two militaries, private sectors and civil society.
Here are the highlights of PM Modi's speech after holding bilateral talks with US President Barack Obama:
- I thank President Obama for the invitation and his warm and generous hospitality
- Infrastructure platform to facilitate US and Indian firms in expanding infrastructure projects
- US to be lead partner in developing Allahabad, Ajmer and Vizag as smart cities
- I urged President Obama to take steps whereby our service companies can get access to the American economy
- President Obama and I talked about economic issues. Our economic relations will improve even further
- I am thankful to President Obama for his warm welcome. I am glad to have been able to meet the President in the early part of my tenure
- We are committed to the resolution of civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries
- We had an open discussion on WTO issue. We support trade facilitation but a solution that takes care of our food security must be found
- After India-US Summit on Mars, we are meeting here on earth
- We both are committed to helping Afghanistan and improving our coordination in this area
- Both sides are deeply concerned about the Ebola crisis in Africa, India has made a financial commitment of $ 10 Million
- I look forward to receiving President Obama and family in India
- I sought support fro Prez Obama for greater access to India's service companies
- I have extended an invitation to President Obama and his family to visit India
- PM Modi and President Obama at the Memorial of Martin Luther King, Jr.(Photo: ANI Twitter)
PM Modi attends lunch hosted by Joe Biden, Vice President of US, attended by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Here are the highlights
- United States Secretary of State John Kerry is currently speaking.
- PM Modi, standing behind, smiles as John Kerry jokes saying that they are never going to be able to top his (PM Modi's) rockstar reception at Madison Sqaure Garden,'
- John Kerry also mentions that India and US begin their Constitution with 'We the People'; and have created Hollywood and Bollywood. The question is what this relationship looks like tomorrow.
- We don't just share the same founding ideals but also share the same economic imperatives: John Kerry.
- PM Modi is addressing the press about the meeting between him and US President Barack Obama
PM Modi : After the Indo-US meet in Mars, we are now meeting here pic.twitter.com/bgRQOa7DYa
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 30, 2014- There is a press briefing underway by the Ministry of External Affairs.
- PM says that his visit has reinvigorated the confidence in the relations between both the nations.
- He does not forget to mention Mangalyaan too by saying that India and US have not only met on Mars but on Earth as well and we are certainly getting close:.
