Global Indian News
Countering terrorism, combating the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, stabilising Afghanistan, forging new technology partnerships and strengthening the Quad cooperation will be among key issues that will figure on the agenda …
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NEW YORK: Pitching for blending global technology with Indian talent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought big-ticket investment from the international business community to spur his dream project of creating a …
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New York: The bonhomie and bonding between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump was quite evident, but the real story coming from the New York meeting was …
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NEW YORK: The special chemistry between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump shone anew as they showered praise on each other, with Mr Trump glowingly describing the …
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It’s the perfect snub, and one that is being choreographed with a lot of rigour and panache. In a stinging repudiation of Pakistan’s Kashmir obsession and paranoia, India has underlined …
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The India-US partnership has acquired a new Trump stamp with the US president confidently asserting that the future of this crucial relationship “never looked brighter,” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlining a harmonious blending of his vision of a New India and Donald Trump’s anthem of “Making America Great Again.”
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WASHINGTON: A warm handshake, mutual praise and talk of the two democracies converging on a wide range of issues. It was a positive start as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, sporting his trademark red tie, sat down for talks in the White House on June 26 to map the way forward for the India-US relationship for the next four years.
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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump on June 26 is one of the most keenly awaited events in the diplomatic calendars of the world’s biggest democracy and its most powerful one. Compared to Mr Modi’s first US visit as prime minister in 2014, that included an impressive rally at Madison Square Garden with legions of cheering Indian-Americans in attendance, this time round, the White House meeting takes centre stage. This suggests that the Indian leader wants to focus more on establishing a firm foundation for New Delhi to work with the relatively new US administration.
During his two-day sojourn in the US, Mr Modi is expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues — from economic and defence cooperation to Indo-Pakistan relations and immigration. But of especial significance, perhaps, would be the talks on regional security and terrorism. Both Washington and New Delhi have their own reasons for ensuring continued stability in South and Central Asia. While the two sides have often reiterated the need to espouse a zero-tolerance stance towards terrorism, Mr Modi would do well to impress upon the US president that no discussion on counter-terrorism would be meaningful without considering the role of Pakistan in supporting terror groups.
It promises to be the big-ticket diplomatic meeting of the year for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The dates are not out yet, but the White House has already struck an upbeat note, saying US President Donald Trump looks forward to hosting the Indian leader.
“President Trump has said he looks forward to hosting Prime Minister Modi in Washington later this year,” a White House statement said on March 29, following a telephonic conversation initiated by Mr Trump the day before to congratulate Mr Modi on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s sweeping victory in elections to legislatures in four Indian states, including the country’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. “President Trump also expressed support for the Prime Minister’s economic reform agenda and emphasized his great respect for the people of India,” said the statement.
Although Mr Modi and Mr Trump may have a brief meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit of the world’s major and emerging economies in Germany in July this year, it will be the Indian prime minister’s first bilateral visit to the US after the change of guard in Washington in January this year.
It was the last meeting between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama, but it looks like they will be seeing more of each other even after the American leader demits office.
“It was a very warm and friendly meeting on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit. Both leaders reviewed the immediate priorities in the strategic partnership,” said sources after their meeting in Vientiane on September 8.
“PM also invited President Obama to visit India after he demits office,” said sources. “President Obama said that he would welcome any opportunity to visit India. As an aside, he added that he and Michelle were yet to see the Taj Mahal!”
It’s not clear what was discussed about the US’ plan to fast-track India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, for which the US support will always be crucial. There was, however, a cryptic hint that President Obama will do all he can and help in any way he can. “President Obama said that he has always been a friend of India and will continue to be a “strong partner of India and help in any way I can,”’ Said sources.
Reading between the lines, those in the know can expect that Mr Obama will do his best to advance India’s NSG membership, but going by current geopolitical complications and conflicted India-China relationship, New Delhi may have to wait a while before it enters the nuclear club as a member.