Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama on Wednesday on the penultimate leg of his whirlwind five-nation tour, during which he hopes to strengthen strategic partnership with Unites States in diverse areas. Among spate of issues discussed, economic growth, climate change, clean energy and defense cooperation topped the list.
Here are some of the key developments from the Prime Minister's fourth visit to the United States:
1)Financial assistance for clean energy: India and the US on Tuesday announced the setting up of two financial assistance programmes worth $60 million for supporting India's much-needed clean energy initiatives including solar power and other renewables.
"The US is committed to bring to bear its technical capacity, resources and private sector, and is jointly launching with India new efforts, to spur greater investment in India's renewable energy sector, including efforts that can serve as a model for other ISA member countries," the White House said.
2)India, US ink deal to boost defence: In a significant development, the US recognised India as a "major defence partner" which means for defence related trade and technology transfer, the country would now be treated at par with America's closest allies.
"Noting that the US-India defence relationship can be an anchor of stability and given the increasingly strengthened cooperation in defence, the United States hereby recognises India as a Major Defence Partner," said a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with US President Barack Obama.
3)Work on Nuclear Reactors: US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the start of preparatory work on six nuclear reactors in India, a key step in closing the first deal stemming from a US-India civil nuclear accord struck over a decade ago. Obama supported India's candidature for membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as he discussed with PM Modi ways to take the bilateral ties to new heights.
4)Cyber framework accord: India and the US have also committed to deepen cooperation on cybersecurity and moving towards finalizing the Framework for the US-India Cyber Relationship in the near term. Cyber collaboration on critical infrastructure, cybercrime, and malicious cyber activity by state and non-state actors, capacity building, and cybersecurity research and development are on the cards.
5)Pakistan asked to punish Pathankot attack perpetrators: India and the United States have called for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai and the 2016 Pathankot terrorist attacks to justice. Acknowledging the continued threat posed to human civilisation by terrorism and condemning the recent terrorist incidents from Paris to Pathankot, from Brussels to Kabul, India and the United States 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.
(With inputs from Agencies)
