The surefire sign that defense cooperation between the two countries is being upgraded, New Delhi’s traditional US unease over a broad range of military hardware acquisitions from other countries, came in a statement that President Biden called “a major Unwavering commitment to India as a defense partner”. Cooperation in advanced military technologies.
The statement specifically referred to the recent project for co-development of air-launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) under the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative, and encourages more such joint efforts. has been done.
It called upon the government and private stakeholders to utilize the existing ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in defense industries for co-development, co-production and expansion of mutual defense trade, a mechanism that will not only help India prevent outright purchases will be able to, but will also be able to achieve it. American legislative constraints that are subject to domestic politics.
President Biden felt it would take two days instead of 90 minutes to cover the full gamut of shared interests with Modi, officials briefing reporters on the talks said.
Biden is a supporter of the relationship, which predicted in 2006 that the US and India would share the world’s closest ties by 2020.
After the talks and his invitation to the Vice President Kamala Harris Modi also invited the US President to come to India to visit India. Both visits are expected within months, in the event the pandemic subsides.
Not that the talks were without wrinkles, mostly trade-related.
foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla The Prime Minister raised the issue of the ongoing impasse on H-1B visas and a comprehensive agreement, the resolution of which would help India recover the billions of dollars that Indian professionals are forced to contribute and They waive taxes even when they don’t. Immigration is not intended.
The two countries tended to stay on the same page in terrorism despite differing bilateral priorities with Pakistan, the help of which the US still needs to evacuate its people and property from Afghanistan.
Although the statement did not explicitly name Pakistan, the conclusion was clear: it said the leaders reaffirmed their stand together in a shared fight against global terrorism and against all terrorist groups, calling the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai. Committed to take concrete action. The attacks should be brought to justice.
The statement said they also condemned any use of terrorist proxies and stressed the importance of denying any military, financial or military aid to terrorist groups that could be used to launch or plan terrorist attacks. while pledging to further strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation. Sharing intelligence, law enforcement cooperation, and developing counter-terrorism technologies.
Pakistan has worked hard to counter its hold on terrorism by attacking the alleged right-wing extremism of the BJP/RSS alliance in India, but there are domestic and global critics of New Delhi’s ruling regime – sporadic demonstrations against Modi in Washington DC has been seen in NYC – The global diplomatic forums have no takers for the narrative.
The Prime Minister’s fan club also came to both places to counter-demonstrate, to transport India’s controversial domestic politics offshore.
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