New Delhi: Defence and security, space, critical and emerging technologies, and clean energy figured heavily in the discussions between US President Joseph R. Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their bilateral meeting Saturday.
“I thank President Biden for hosting me at his residence in Greenville, Delaware. Our talks were extremely fruitful. We had the opportunity to discuss regional and global issues during the meeting. @JoeBiden,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X.
The bilateral meeting was held at the residence of the US President in Greenville, Delaware. Among the key subjects discussed, defence figured prominently.
“The Leaders commended the progress that has made the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership a pillar of global security and peace, highlighting the benefits of increased operational coordination, information-sharing, and defence industrial innovation,” said the India-US Joint Fact Sheet published by the White House Saturday.
President Biden welcomed India’s progress towards concluding India’s procurement of 31 MQ-9B drones manufactured by General Atomics for $3.99 billion. The deal was first announced during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US in June 2023.
The American government in February 2024 approved the deal. Earlier in August, both India and the US also signed two agreements to boost defence ties—the Security of Supplies Agreement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers.
On semiconductors, both the leaders hailed the “watershed arrangement” to set up a semiconductor fabrication plant by 3rdiTech, Bharat Semi and the U.S. Space Force. The plant will be focusing on infrared gallium nitride and silicon carbide semiconductors, according to foreign secretary Vikram Misri.
“We have always been known as a repository of design talent insofar as semiconductors are concerned, but this shows that we are breaking out to the fabrication part of it and with the right support, right incentives and right access to technologies and partnerships from abroad, Indian start-ups can make a global mark,” said Misri in a press briefing Saturday.
He added that there are elements and applications of the products developed by this fabrication for national security areas in both countries.
Misri added that Bangladesh was one of the topics discussed between the two leaders during their bilateral talks. In August, there was controversy in India over the fact that the Indian readout of a call between Modi and Biden stated that Bangladesh was discussed, while the American readout made no mention of it.
“I think I should make it clear that these discussions are by nature all encompassing…All subjects are open for discussion…Look as I said, these discussions cover subjects that are in the region, they maybe of bilateral interest of one party or the other…In this context a number of situations came up for discussion…Bangladesh also figured in the discussions,” said Misri.
Clean energy, health & repatriation of antiques
The US returned 297 antiques that were stolen or trafficked from India, during the bilateral talks between Modi and Biden. In fact, three of the antiques scheduled for repatriation were shown to Modi by Biden during the bilateral talks.
“The antiquities belong to a time period spanning almost 4,000 years, from 2000 BCE – 1900 CE and have origins in different parts of India. Majority of the antiquities are terracotta artefacts from Eastern India, while others are made in stone, metal, wood and ivory and belong to different parts of the country,” said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement Saturday.
The statement added: “The total number of cultural artefacts returned from the US to India since 2016 stands at 578. This is the maximum number of cultural artefacts returned by any country to India.”
Prime Minister Modi on the return of the antiques said the “fight against illicit trafficking of cultural properties” is “deepening” the cultural connect between India and the US.
The two leaders also welcomed the partnership in the space of clean energy transition, especially the $750 million worth of loans extended by the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to Tata Power Solar and First Solar.
The two leaders also announced a signing of an agreement between the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) “aimed at promoting more responsive and sustainable power systems.”
As reported earlier, India also deposited its instrument of ratification of pillars III and IV of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and an overarching agreement related to it. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken also exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding on the US-India Drug Policy Framework for the 21st Century.
The new framework will “deepen collaboration to disrupt the illicit production and international trafficking of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, and deepen a holistic public health partnership.”
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
POTUS highlighted the cancer agreement amongst the Quad. Why is that not mentioned here – this is a very important development in the fight against cancer.