In their first conversation since the change of guard in Washington, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden focused on enhancing India-US strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific with a view to constraining China’s assertiveness in the region.
The telephonic conversation between the two leaders focused on issues ranging from climate change to COVID-19 to addressing global terrorism and shaping an inclusive regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific.
Underlining a shared commitment to democratic values and common strategic interests, India’s external affairs ministry said that the two leaders “reiterated the importance of working with like-minded countries to ensure a rules-based international order and a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.”
Enhancing cooperation to combat climate change dominated the conversation. PM Modi welcomed President Biden’s decision to re-commit to the Paris Agreement and highlighted the ambitious targets India has set for itself in the area of renewable energy. PM Modi welcomed President Biden’s initiative to organize the Climate Leaders Summit in April this year and looked forward to participating in the same, said the statement.
“The first telephonic conversation between PM Modi and President Biden has set a very ambitious agenda for upscaling India-US partnership across the spectrum. The emphasis on the Indo-Pacific suggests that the world’s largest democracies will cooperate with renewed vigour to ward off unilateralism in the region,” said Manish Chand, Editor-in-Chief, India Writes Network and India and the World magazine.
The two leaders committed to “work closely together to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, renew their partnership on climate change, rebuild the global economy in a way that benefits the people of both countries and stand together against the scourge of global terrorism,” the White House said in a statement.
The statement added that “a shared commitment to democratic values is the bedrock of the US-India relationship” and stressed that the rule of law and democratic process must be upheld in Burma.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his US counterpart Antony Blinken had pledged to expand the strategic partnership between the two countries and to work for peace and security in the Indo-Pacific. They had also discussed the challenges of a post-Covid world and agreed to address global issues, including safe and affordable vaccine supply.
(Palak Chhabra contributed inputs for this article)
Author Profile
- India Writes Network (www.indiawrites.org) is an emerging think tank and a media-publishing company focused on international affairs & the India Story. Centre for Global India Insights is the research arm of India Writes Network. To subscribe to India and the World, write to editor@indiawrites.org. A venture of TGII Media Private Limited, a leading media, publishing and consultancy company, IWN has carved a niche for balanced and exhaustive reporting and analysis of international affairs. Eminent personalities, politicians, diplomats, authors, strategy gurus and news-makers have contributed to India Writes Network, as also “India and the World,” a magazine focused on global affairs.
Latest entries
In ConversationJuly 26, 2024India-Italy defence collaboration can extend to third countries: Anil Wadhwa- In ConversationJuly 23, 2024Italy views India as a key partner in Indo-Pacific: Vani Rao
- DiplomacyJune 29, 2024First BRICS unveils a roadmap for boosting tourism among emerging economies
- India and the WorldJune 11, 2024On Day 1, Jaishankar focuses on resolving standoff with China
