PM Modi’s US visit: Defence, space, energy on discussion list

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the United States, Indian and American officials exchanged ideas in the 2+2 Intersessional Dialogue in New Delhi. Issues of mutual interest including industrial coordination, defence, space and civil aviation alliances, and clean energy were discussed, setting the stage for PM Modi’s meeting with the American President Joe Biden during his upcoming US trip.

The discussion also featured the Indo-Pacific region and ongoing geopolitical unrest solutions including ceasefire in Gaza and peace in Ukraine.

Ministry of Defence Joint Secretary for International Cooperation Vishwesh Negi co-chaired the meeting for India along with Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretary for the Americas, Nagaraj Naidu.

The American delegation was co-chaired by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah P. Royal and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asia Donald Lu, the United States Department of State informed. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Royal and Assistant Secretary Lu reiterated the US commitment to further current collaborations between the two nations and improve ties between the two people, the Department of State added.

‘INDO-US TIES A CONCERN FOR CHINA, RUSSIA’

Meanwhile in Washington, Richard Verma, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources noted there was a uniqueness in India’s ties with the US, which made President Biden describe it as the “defining relationship of this century”. Verma noted that the Indo-American ties were in “a very different mode” than what the case was with certain adversaries of the US.

“Not just because we have two big militaries and not just because we have two big economies, but because we actually stand for something that matters to people in their daily lives across the world,” the diplomat said, while speaking on Indo-US ties at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC.

The US diplomat claimed the strong bond India shared with the US had become a concern for Russia and China because the bond championed peace, peaceful solutions of disputes and the significance of diverse voices in society.

“Frankly, why do you think China and Russia are so concerned about this partnership? Because we bring a way of life to the rest of the world, that is about inclusivity, about peace, about the peaceful resolution of disputes, about the rule of law, and it's about hearing everyone's voice in a society,” said Verma.