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Indian PM Narendra Modi’s US tour
Impact of US-India relations on Pakistan?

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President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi hug after making joint statements in the Rose Garden of the White
House. (Source: AP Photo)

Trump-Modi joint statement takes Pakistan to task

Varghese K. George
WASHINGTON, JUNE 27, 2017


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump give out a joint statement after their meeting at White House,
in Washington DC, USA on Tuesday.

The joint statement goes beyond the usual American position while pulling up Pakistan
and echoes Indian concerns regarding the Chinese-led Belt and Road initiative.


A joint statement by United States President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
Monday after their first meeting made terrorism the cornerstone of mutual cooperation between
the two countries. The statement went beyond the usual American position - it pulled up Pakistan
and echoed India's concerns over China's Belt and Road initiative.

Dealing with North Korea is now a component of India-U.S. cooperation, and the statement
obliquely blamed China and Pakistan in this context. “The leaders pledged to work together to
counter the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction programs, including by holding accountable all
parties that support these programs,” the statement said. Pakistan has helped the DPRK develop
its nuclear capability and the Trump administration wants China to increase pressure on its
neighbour to mend its behavior.

“…given that this was a first meeting, it's a strong start, and signals a lt of continuity on key issues.
(And yes, that's good),” Joshua White, former White House official during Barack Obama’s
presidency, said on Twitter, offering a series of comments on the various aspects of the statement,
which was issued after both leaders spent nearly four hours together. Of this, Mr. Trump and Mr.
Modi spent 40 minutes on a one-on-one. They read out individual statements before cameras
before a reception and dinner at the White House. During those hours, they hugged at least thrice.

“The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks
on other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators
of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan
based groups,” said the joint statement. “The leaders stressed that terrorism is a global scourge
that must be fought and terrorist safe havens rooted out in every part of the world.”

India and U.S. will destroy 'radical Islamic terrorism' together, says Trump

This paragraph is “explicit and clearly suggests that Pak is culpable for allowing a permissive
environment for militants,” said Mr. White. “Further, it indicates that the U.S. agrees with the
Indian view that there has been a series of "cross-border" attacks from Pak-based groups.”

The statement said, “The leaders also affirmed their support for a U.N. Comprehensive Convention
on International Terrorism that will advance and strengthen the framework for global cooperation
and reinforce the message that no cause or grievance justifies terrorism.”

Mr. White recalled that the “Obama admin was very reluctant to endorse” it.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi pledged to work together to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and
non-state actors.

Both countries “plan to undertake a comprehensive review of trade relations with the goal of
expediting regulatory processes… and increasing market access in areas such as agriculture,
information technology, and manufactured goods and services,” taking into account long pending
American concerns about market access in India.

Echoing Indian position on Belt and Road Initiative


The joint statement said the leaders supported “bolstering regional economic connectivity through
the transparent development of infrastructure and the use of responsible debt financing practices,
while ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rule of law, and the environment,”
which echoes India’s position on China's Belt and Road Initiative.

India had abstained from the recent Belt and Road Forum, citing sovereignty concerns as the project
passes through parts of Jammu and Kashmir that are under occupation. India had also pointed out
that the financing of the project could turn out to be unviable.

The paragraphs appeared in the section that discussed Indian and U.S common interests in Asia
Pacific. The statement said the leaders “reiterate the importance of respecting freedom of navigation,
overflight, and commerce throughout the region” and called up upon “all nations to resolve territorial
and maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law.”

The statement noted that America is now offering the Sea Guardian Unmanned Aerial Systems for
sale to India, taking forward an initiate of the Obama administration. This “would enhance India’s
capabilities and promote shared security interests,” the leaders said. Lauding the upcoming
MALABAR naval exercise, “the leaders determined to expand their engagements on shared maritime
objectives and to explore new exercises.” Signalling continuity with another Obama era policy, the
U.S “expressed strong support for India’s early membership” in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the
Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Australia Group.

President Trump reaffirmed the U.S. support for India’s permanent membership on a reformed U.N.
Security Council also, the statement said.

“Overall I think this is a strong joint statement,” said Mr. White. “I'm sure some things were left on
cutting room floor — eg, specific mention of H-1B,......or more explicit statements about market
access... or a clearer pathway for US-India defense coop or agreements. ... or clearer language
about climate-related energy cooperation... or more on India's role in combatting ISIS,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/trump-modi-joint-statement-takes-pakistan-to-task/article19153662.ece


Analysis of the Indo-U.S. joint statement: tougher
on Pakistan, softer on China

Suhasini Haida
JUNE 27, 2017


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump arrive for the joint press statement at the White House in
Washington DC, USA on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: PTI

MORE-IN

Modi in US
A quick comparison between the 2017 and 2016 joint statements.

By all indications, the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald
Trump exceeded expectations of both sides, on the optics and on the language of their joint
statement, especially given that officials in New Delhi and Washington had spent much time in the
past week managing the expectations, predicating much on how well the two leaders got along.

The “visible personal chemistry” that Ministry of External Affairs officials referred to frequently,
was on display, with the two leaders exchanging three hugs and several handshakes through the
course of the day.

“This was frankly one of the most productive of all prime ministerial visits to the United States,”
said Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, who as former Joint Secretary (Americas) and Indian
Ambassador to the U.S. has witnessed the Singh-Bush, Singh-Obama and Modi-Obama relationship
up close as well.

While more details of the agreements between the two sides will emerge over the next few days
and weeks, a quick look at the joint statement issued on Monday, and a comparison with the joint
statement issued a year ago by Mr. Barack Obama and Mr. Modi in June 2016, reveals a few
important points.

Strategic convergence, shift to trade focus

The Indo-U.S. Strategic Partnership is on course, but with a new emphasis on trade and economic
ties.

This is reflected by the title of the two statements: “Enduring Global Partners in the 21st Century”
in 2016, and the more modest “Prosperity Through Partnership” this year.

While the 2016 statement focused on ‘Bolstering Economic and Trade ties’, this year’s statement is
more direct on how that will be done, with references to “balancing the trade deficit” (which, as it
is in India’s favour, is a sore point for the Trump administration).

However, the joint statement of 2017 continues previous references to “a growing strategic
convergence” bolstered by military, maritime and intelligence cooperation. In addition, while India
has yet to commit to buying Predator drones, a sale of 22 Guardian drones was cleared by the U.S.
Cabinet last week. Mr. Trump said he was “pleased” that India buys U.S. defence products.

Terror and Pakistan

The language of the joint statement this year is much tougher on terrorism, specifically on Pakistan-
based terror groups. A few hours before the Trump-Modi meeting, the U.S. State Department
moved to make Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin a Designated Global Terrorist, a move
that was welcomed by India.

Last year’s statement had the same wording when it came to “strengthening cooperation against
terrorist threats from extremist groups, such as Al-Qa’ida, Da’esh/ISIL, Jaish-e Mohammad,
Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, D Company and their affiliates, including through deepened collaboration on
U.N. terrorist designations,” although this year has dropped the mention of “U.N. terrorist
designations.”

The language on Pakistan is clear, and a departure from the past year, when all terror attacks from
“Paris to Pathankot” were condemned.

“The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on
other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators
of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-
based groups,” the most direct message sent in an India-U.S. joint statement thus far.

Like the previous year, the U.S. also committed to the U.N. Comprehensive Convention on
International Terrorism, an Indian initiative, as well as to supporting India’s bid for the membership
of the U.N. Security Council and Nuclear Suppliers Group.

China

One of the most important documents signed by India and the U.S., the 2015 U.S.-India Joint
Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region, seems to have been given a miss in
the latest statement, which appears to have softened some of the language on China’s actions in
the South China Sea.

For example, instead of saying the two countries would “ensure” freedom of navigation, overflight
and commerce through the Indo-Pacific region (that refers to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific
Ocean), the language in 2017 only “reiterates the importance of respecting freedom of navigation,
overflight, and commerce throughout the region,” a significant toning down of the language that
possibly reflects Mr. Trump’s current ties with Beijing.

In place of the 2016 language calling for India and the U.S. to “secure the domains” of land,
maritime, air, space, and cyber, in 2017, it speaks of being “responsible stewards” and “democratic
stalwarts in the Indo-Pacific Region.” No mention is made either of the “United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea,” under which a tribunal ruled against China’s claims in the SCS, which was
referred to the previous year. India indicated it had brought the U.S. over to its position on the
Chinese “Belt and Road initiative” with a reference to “respect for sovereignty and territorial
integrity” on regional connectivity projects, which has been India’s major concern.

Click here for the 2016 "Joint Statement - United States and India: Prosperity Through Partnership"

North Korea

North Korea is a new entrant into the joint statement, in keeping with Mr. Trump’s sharp focus on
curbing the DPRK leader Kim Jong-Un’s nuclear and ballistic belligerence.

“The leaders strongly condemned continued provocations by the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea (DPRK), emphasizing that its destabilizing pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programs
poses a grave threat to regional security and global peace. The leaders called on DPRK to strictly
abide by its international obligations and commitments. The leaders pledged to work together to
counter the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction programs, including by holding accountable all
parties that support these programs,” the statement said, which is India’s strongest statement
on the subject.

Traditionally, India has maintained trade and low-profile ties with North Korea, but in 2015,
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj received North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong.

Afghanistan

For weeks leading up to the Trump-Modi meeting, speculation had swirled around the idea that the
U.S. would ask India for more support, with some reports speaking of a demand for up to 15,000
Indian Army troops to help with the U.S. and NATO’s flagging efforts at fighting the Taliban.

Thus far, the only senior U.S. official to visit India was U.S. NSA McMaster, who came to Delhi
from Kabul and Islamabad, which also fuelled the theory the U.S. sees a larger role for India in
the conflict in Afghanistan.

However, the joint statement was non-committal on the nature of India’s contribution for now,
with Mr. Trump welcoming “further Indian contributions to promote Afghanistan’s democracy,
stability, prosperity, and security. Recognizing the importance of their respective strategic
partnerships with Afghanistan, the leaders committed to continue close consultations and
cooperation in support of Afghanistan’s future.”

A clearer picture will emerge once Defence Secretary James Mattis unveils the U.S.’ revised Af-
Pak policy in mid-July.

Climate change and nuclear deal

While cooperation on energy is highlighted in the joint statement, it was to be expected that the
U.S.' commitment to helping India battle climate change would be dropped from all reference,
given Mr. Trump’s harsh observations when he pulled out of the Paris accord.

In 2016, this had occupied a hefty space, entitled “Advancing U.S.-India Global Leadership on
Climate and Clean Energy”. In 2017, a line in the Trump-Modi Joint statement reads, “The leaders
called for a rational approach that balances environment and climate policy, global economic
development, and energy security needs,” with no mention of the “increased financial support
from donor countries to the Multilateral [climate change) Fund” Mr. Obama had promised.

The India-U.S. civil nuclear deal, which was due to see the conclusion of the NPCIL-Westinghouse
agreement for six reactors by June 2017, appears to be on hold for the moment, with Foreign
Secretary Mr. Jaishankar expressing the hope that Westinghouse, which has filed for bankruptcy,
will be “back in business” by the end of 2017. Instead of the direct reference to funding the
project by the “U.S. Exim Bank” in 2016, there was only a reference to “related project financing.”

However, on a positive note, “President Trump affirmed that the United States continues to remove
barriers to energy development and investment in the United States and to U.S. energy exports so
that more natural gas, clean coal, and renewable resources and technologies are available to fuel
India’s economic growth and inclusive development,” indicating India will be making energy
purchases from the U.S.

Read this article at soruce: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/analysis-of-the-indo-us-joint-statement-tougher-on-
pakistan-softer-on-china-on-course-for-strategic-partnership/article19153997.ece


Trump And Modi Reaffirm Relations With Hug

What Narendra Modi said in the US

The Hindu Net Desk
JUNE 26, 2017


Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to United States since Sunday. The Prime
Minister met the top US CEOs and interacted with the Indian diaspora on the first day of his US
visit. He is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump on Monday.

Ease of doing business, counter terrorism, diplomacy are some of the topics that prominently
featured in his speeches.

'Whenever India and the US work together, the world reaps the benefits'


Ahead of his crucial maiden meeting with President Donald Trump, Mr. Modi in an oped in Wall
Street Journal wrote,"A year later, I return to the US confident in the growing convergence between
our two nations,” he said. “A new layer in our engagement is our partnership for global good,” the
Prime Minister said. “Whenever India and the US work together, the world reaps the benefits.”

'Not single taint on my govt in three years'


Highlighting his achievements in rooting out corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that
there has been “not even one taint or blot” on his government in the past three years.

Mr. Modi said corruption was the main reason why governments in India were voted out in the past.
“Indians hate corruption,” he told the nearly 600 Indian-American community members at a reception
in Virginia.

'Swaraj has given a human face to diplomacy'


The Prime Minister lauded his cabinet colleague Sushma Swaraj for giving a “human face” to diplomacy
and effectively using of social media in delivering good governance.

Mr. Modi said the External Affairs Minister's habit of promptly responding and acting on tweets by
Indians in distress anywhere in the world.

“If any Indian in distress tweets from anywhere in the world to the External Affairs Ministry, even at
two in the night, within 15 minutes Sushma Swaraj replies to it, the government takes prompt action
and delivers results. This is good governance,” Mr. Modi said.

'No country questioned surgical strikes'


Mr. Modi said the surgical strikes carried out across the LoC proved that India would not hesitate to
take the toughest measures to defend itself, while noting that no country in the world had questioned
it — an apparent swipe at Pakistan.

“When we talked of terrorism 20 years back, many in the world said it was a law and order problem
and didn’t understand it. Now terrorists have explained terrorism to them so we don’t have to,” he said
adding that the surgical strikes demonstrated that India, which normally follows the principle of restraint,
can also defend its sovereignty and ensure its security when needed.

'GST can be a subject of studies in US business schools'


Mr. Modi interacted with USA's top CEOs including Google's Sundar Pichai, Apple's Tim Cook and Amazon's
Jeff Bezos at an event organised by US-India Business Council.

The Prime Minister highlighted economic reforms taken by his government in the past three years,
emphasising the rollout of new Goods and Services Tax regime.

On GST, Mr. Modi said its implementation is a complex task that may well turn out to be “a subject of
studies in US business schools.”

“This shows India can take big decisions and implement them swiftly,” he said.

'India's growth presents a win-win partnership for India and US both'


India’s growth presents a win-win partnership for both India and the U.S., Prime Minister Narendra Modi
told a group of American CEOs. American companies have a great opportunity to contribute to that,
Mr. Modi told the CEOs.

“The whole world is looking at India. 7,000 reforms alone by GOI for ease of (doing) business and
minimum government, maximum governance,” Gopal Bagley, spokesman of the Ministry of External
Affairs quoting the prime minister as saying.

soruce: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/what-narendra-modi-said-in-the-us/article19148798.ece


India, U.S. determined to destroy terrorist organisations,
says Trump

Varghese K. George
WASHINGTON, JUNE 27, 2017


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump arrive for the joint press conference in the Rose Garden of the
White House on Monday. | Photo Credit: AFP


Prime Minister Modi and President Trump make a joint statement in the Rose
Garden of the White House.

President Donald Trump on Monday said he was a true friend of India, and that the relationship
between the two countries “has never been stronger, has never been better.”

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi by his side in the Rose Garden of the White House, after they both
met for the first time, Mr. Trump said: “During my campaign, I pledged that if elected, India would
have a true friend in the White House. And that is now exactly what you have -- a true friend.”

The entire senior leadership of the Trump administration was present when the leaders read out their
individual statements before the camera. First Lady Melania Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence,
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defence James Mattis, Treasury Secretary Steven
Mnuchin, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, President’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law
Jared Kushner sat in the harsh afternoon sun.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House on Monday.
Mr. Modi will be the first world leader to be hosted at the White House by Mr. Trump. | Photo Credit: AFP



Mr. Modi said there was a perfect meeting of minds between the two as “the top priority for both
President Trump and myself is to protect our society from global challenges like terrorism; and
because our aim is the strengthening of India and the USA -- two great democracies in the world.”

Ivanka in India


The President’s daughter Ivanka Trump will lead the U.S delegation to Global Entrepreneurship Summit
(GES) later this year. GES is a key foreign policy initiative of former President Barack Obama to bring
together global entrepreneurs and innovators, and India will be hosting its next edition. The event was
expected to be a show of camaraderie between the two countries, and with Ms. Trump’s participation,
it would be gaining gravitas. “I’m excited to report that the Prime Minister has invited my daughter,
Ivanka, to lead the U.S. delegation,” said Mr. Trump.

Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump indicated that the change in administration in the U.S would not impact the
upward trajectory of ties between the two countries. “The friendship between the United States and
India is built on shared values, including our shared commitment to democracy,” the President said,
pointing out that both American and the Indian constitutions “begin with the same three very beautiful
words: We the people.”

On radical Islamic terrorism


Underscoring another of their common grounds, the President said: “We will destroy radical Islamic
terrorism.” “Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined
to destroy terrorist organisations and the radical ideology that drives them.”

Speaking after Mr. Trump, in Hindi, Mr. Modi said: “…we discussed the serious challenges of terrorism,
extremism, and radicalisation, which are the major challenges facing the world today. And we have
agreed to enhance our cooperation in fighting against these scourges. Fighting terrorism and doing
away with the safe shelters, sanctuaries, and safe havens will be an important part of our cooperation.”

As they sat together for the talks, Mr. Trump thanked India for ordering military equipment. There was
no announcement of American decision to sell unarmed Guardian drones to India. “..thank you very
much for the equipment, ordering equipment from the United States. Always makes us feel very good.
There’s nobody [that] makes military equipment like we make military equipment. Nobody even close,
so we want to thank you very much"

America First vs India First


Mr. Modi said his ideas for India’s development and Mr. Trump’s for America were mutually compatible.
“I am sure that the convergence between my vision for a new India and President Trump’s vision for
‘making America great again’ will add new dimensions to our cooperation,” Mr. Modi said.

Questions have been raised in the run up to the meeting about the potential conflict between Mr.
Trump’s America First and Mr. Modi’s India First approach to economic and commercial ties. “I look
forward to working with you, Mr. Prime Minister, to create jobs in our countries, to grow our economies,
and to create a trading relationship that is fair and reciprocal. It is important that barriers be removed
to the export of U.S. goods into your markets, and that we reduce our trade deficit with your country,”
said Mr. Trump.

The strategic cooperation to deal with the challenges in Asia Pacific would continue, Mr, Modi said: “The
increasing possibilities for enhancing cooperation in order to protect our strategic interests will continue
to determine the dimensions of our partnership. We will continue to work with the USA in this region.”

Mr. Trump said he always had a deep admiration for India and its people, and a “profound appreciation
for your rich culture, heritage and traditions.”

Read this article at source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/modi-meets-trump/article19151643.ece


Thorny issues

The apparently jovial tone was in contrast to what had been predicted to be a tough meeting.

Both Trump and Modi have tried to boost domestic manufacturing in their own country.

Modi, under a program titled "Make in India," has been looking for foreign companies to set up
production in India. That runs counter to Trump's "America First" messaging, where Trump is looking
to punish American companies who ship jobs and production overseas.

Trump's "Buy American, Hire American" executive order, signed in April, overhauled the H-1B visa
program primarily used by Indian engineers and developers.


While, earlier this month, Trump singled out India during his announcement declaring the United
States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Trump accused India of receiving "billions" of dollars in return for signing the accord, an allegation
that India strongly refuted.

A joint statement issued by both leaders did not mention either issues directly, and instead focused
on the two leaders' pledge to "expand and deepen the strategic partnership between the countries
and advance common objectives" by providing "strong leadership to address global challenges."

RELATED: India takes moral high ground on Paris climate deal

Seeking to downplay potential policy conflicts, Modi suggested that economic growth was not a zero-
sum game. "India's interests lie in a strong, and prosperous, and successful America," said Modi
during their press briefing. "In the same way, India's development and its growing role at the
international level are in the USA's interest."

Elements of the Indian media will undoubtedly play this as a largely successful visit, said CNN's New
Delhi Bureau Chief, Ravi Agrawal. "Fears that Trump would not be an ally to India, like at least three
of his predecessors, have proved unfounded."

View image on Twitter



Policy Movements


The White House did not provide a detailed account of the meeting, however, the official joint
statement did make several references to Pakistan, notably a call for the country to "ensure that its
territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries," and to "bring to justice the
perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks."



Twitter diplomacy? Meet the world leaders with largest followers
Prior to the meeting, senior US administration officials said Trump was aware of the delicate balance
with India and Pakistan, but would look to treat the 1.3 billion person country like the defense ally it
is: "I want to make a point here that US relationships with India and Pakistan really stand on their own
merits and terms," a senior administration official said.

While the Trump administration hopes to "deepen" its relationship with India, the official added that
they are "also interested in continuing our cooperation with Pakistan" and are "concerned about tensions
between Indian and Pakistan."

Monday's statement also announced increased cooperation to "prevent terrorist travel and to disrupt
global recruitment efforts by expanding intelligence-sharing and operational-level counterterrorism
cooperation." Such moves are likely to be welcomed by US foreign policy chiefs, who have underlined
the need for additional information sharing in the ongoing fight against ISIS.


Regional issues


The meeting pointed to other regional security concerns, with both leaders emphasizing the importance
of Indian-US relations in helping to stabilize Afghanistan. "India and America have played an important
role in rebuilding Afghanistan and ensuring its security," read the statement. "In order to attain our
objectives for peace and stability in Afghanistan, we will maintain close consultation and communication."



What do young Indians think of Donald Trump?

The two leaders also "strongly condemned" continued provocations by North Korea emphasizing that its
"destabilizing pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programs poses a grave threat to regional security
and global peace," according to the statement.

In May this year, India halted all trade except for food and medicine with North Korea. Prior to the ban,
India had been North Korea's second largest trading partner after China. India exported $111 million
worth of goods in 2015-2016 to North Korea, and imported about $88 million, according to Indian
government data.


What's next


Monday's White House visit was Modi's fifth trip to the US since becoming prime minister in 2014.

Unlike the feverish anticipation over past meetings between Modi and former President Barack Obama,
expectations for Modi's new relationship with Trump had been lukewarm.

However, the Indian Prime Minister appeared determined to bolster relations, at one point, inviting the
President's daughter Ivanka Trump to India for an "Entrepreneurship Summit," scheduled for later this
year.

Addressing Trump directly, Modi offered his "deep appreciation" for the President's "strong commitment
to the enhancement of our bilateral relations."

"Be assured that in this joint journey of our two nations towards development, growth and prosperity, I
will remain a driven, determined, and decisive partner," said Modi.

CNN's Dan Merica and Manveena Suri contributed to this report.

READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE AT SOURCE : http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/27/politics/modi-trump-india-us/index.html


Eliminating Terrorism Top-Most Priority, Says PM Modi
At White House: 10 Points

PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed counter-terrorism, trade and defence
cooperation.


All India | Reported by Namrata Brar, Edited by Divyanshu Dutta Roy : June 27, 2017

PM Narendra Modi, Donald Trump addressed the media together at the White House.


WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: At their first ever meeting today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US
President Donald Trump struck a common note on terrorism, saying eliminating it is among the top-
most priorities for the two nations. In a joint briefing with President Trump after a one-on-one
meeting and delegation-level talks at the White House, PM Modi said "We talked about terrorism,
extremism and radicalisation and agreed to cooperate on this." Ahead of the meeting, the US State
Department had declared Syed Salahuddin, chief of terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, a Specially
Designated Global Terrorist in a move that India called a vindication of its stand against cross-border
terrorism emanating from Pakistan.


Here are the top 10 points in this big story:

1. Talking tough on terror, President Trump at the joint press briefing said both nations are
"determined" to destroy terrorist organisations and the radical ideology that drives them. "Both our
nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism and we are both determined to destroy terrorist
organisations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism,"
he said.

2. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said the two leaders also called upon Pakistan to not let its territory
be used to launch terror attacks. "They asked Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of 26/11, Pathankot
and other terror attacks to justice," Mr Jaishankar said.

3. "The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on
other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the
26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based
groups," the Indo-US joint statement said.

4. Earlier, welcoming the order against Salahuddin, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said,
"It does vindicate India's longest-standing position that cross border terrorism behind disturbance
created in Kashmir since last year. The outfits that Syed Salahuddin leads, they have perpetuated,
from the territory of Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, cross border terrorism against India."

5. At the joint press briefing, President Trump said the relationship between India and the US has
never been stronger and better. "India has a true friend in the White House," he said, adding "India
is the fastest growing economy in the world. We hope we will be catching up with you very soon."

6. President Trump also said he is keen to work with PM Modi on creating a "fair and reciprocal" trading
relationship between the two countries and called for the removal of "barriers" for the export of US
goods into Indian markets.

7. "When he (President Trump) came to India in 2014... he was full of very warm remarks and
observations about me, I still remember them," said PM Modi in the White House, thanking Mr Trump
and his wife Melania Trump for their warm welcome. Praising Mr Modi, the US President said, "You've
done a great job. Economically, India's doing very well."

8. The two leaders spent more than four hours together, ending with a working dinner. PM Modi is the
first foreign dignitary to be hosted for dinner by President Trump at the White House.

9. This was PM Modi's first meeting with President Trump; they have spoken thrice on the phone since
the latter took office earlier this year. Today's meeting was aimed at building a personal rapport and
senior government officials said they hope for "chemistry" between the two leaders. The initial signs
were upbeat, with President Trump describing Prime Minister Modi as a "true friend!" on Twitter, and
PM Modi posting that he "greatly looked forward" to the one-on-one.

10. The one-on-one meeting in the Oval office was followed by delegation level talks between the two
sides in the Cabinet Room. After issuing a joint press statement, the two leaders had a working dinner.

With inputs from agencies
Read the original article at source: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/melania-trump-to-join-president-donald-trump-in-welcoming-
pm-narendra-modi-at-white-house-10-facts-1717233

'Catastrophic Results' Possible From India-US
'Cozying Up': Chinese Media


"Washington and New Delhi share anxieties about China's rise," said an article in China's state-run
newspaper, the Global Times.


All India | NDTV News Desk June 27, 2017
by Taboola


BEIJING:
HIGHLIGHTS
1. India should not lend itself to US to counter Beijing: Chinese paper
2. PM Modi met with Donald Trump last night
3. Their remarks on territorial sovereignty enrage China

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with US President Donald Trump has provoked a strong
reaction from China, where state-run media warned of "catastrophic results" if New Delhi works with
Washington to counter Beijing.

"Washington and New Delhi share anxieties about China's rise. In recent years, to ratchet up
geopolitical pressure on China, the US has cozied up to India," said an article in China's state-run
newspaper, the Global Times.

Underlining that India is not a US ally like Japan or Australia, it said, "To assume a role as an outpost
country in the US' strategy to contain China is not in line with India's interests. It could even lead to
catastrophic results."

The newspaper said that if India becomes a "pawn" for the US in countering China, new geopolitical
friction will be triggered in South Asia.

After their meeting at the White House last night, PM Modi and Mr Trump, who bear-hugged, agreed
that a close partnership between the United States and India is central to peace and stability in the
region.

With an eye on China and its growing military ambitions in the Asia-Pacific area, both sides called for
freedom of navigation and resolving of territorial and maritime disputes peacefully in accordance
with international law, a reference to Beijing's aggression in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

President Trump also endorsed India's objections to the new economic corridor that China is building
through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir as part of its gigantic initiative to unlock new land and sea routes
to Central Asia. India says the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, being developed at a cost of at least
$54 billion, violates its territorial sovereignty.

Thought President Trump has sought to curb China's regional clout, in part by questioning the "One
China" policy employed by the US for decades, he has been courting China to persuade it to do more
to rein in North Korea.
Read the original report at source: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/catastrophic-results-possible-from-india-us-cozying-
up-chinese-media-1717561?stky


Trump says US, India 'tied together in friendship' after
Modi meeting


Published June 26, 2017:Fox News


President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, step into the Rose Garden to make joint statements at the
White House in Washington, Monday, June 26, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All
rights reserved.)


President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed Monday to enhance the
relationship between their two countries, with Trump vowing that “India and the United States will
always be tied together in friendship and respect.”

“The future of our partnership has never looked brighter,” said Trump during a joint appearance
with Modi in the White House Rose Garden. The president also thanked “the Indian people” for their
efforts in Afghanistan and in levying new sanctions against North Korea, which the president said
“has to be dealt with and probably dealt with rapidly.”

Trump also noted that both the U.S. and India have been affected by the "evils of terrorism" and
the "radical ideology that drives them" before vowing to "destroy radical Islamic terrorism."


Working together, I truly believe our
two countries can set an example for
many other nations.

- President Donald Trump


Trump also attempted to inject a note of levity by describing him and Modi, leaders of the world's
two largest democracies, as “world leaders in social media.” The American president has
approximately 32.8 million Twitter followers, while Modi – who also makes prolific use of the
platform – has approximately 31 million followers.

“We’re believers [in] giving the citizens of our country the opportunity to hear directly from their
elected officials and for us to hear directly from them,” Trump said. “I guess it’s worked very well
in both cases.”

At the end of his remarks, Modi invited Trump and his family to visit India. The two men embraced
as they concluded their remarks.

Earlier, Trump heaped praise on Modi during Oval Office remarks as a "great prime minister" who
had brought economic growth to India. Modi recalled Trump's visits to India long before he was
president and said he was looking forward to collaborating with him now that he is president.

"The relationship between the United States and India is very, very strong and very, very powerful,"
Trump said. "We agree on most things. And I would say, by the end of the day we'll agree on
everything. I have a feeling," he joked.

Hours before Modi's arrival, the State Department imposed sanctions on Syed Salahuddin, the
Pakistan-based leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, the main rebel group that fights against Indian control
in the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir. India's foreign ministry hailed the move.

The Trump administration says it wants to provide India the kind of defense technology it does to
the closest U.S. allies. In a concrete indication of that, the U.S. State Department approved the
$365 million sale of a C-17 military transport aircraft. The administration is also set to offer a
$2 billion sale of U.S.-made unarmed drones to help in surveillance of the Indian Ocean.
Trump thanked Modi for India's purchase of U.S. military equipment. Since 2008, India has
signed more than $15 billion in U.S. defense contracts.

Later Monday, Modi was scheduled to have dinner with the president and first lady -- the first
dinner Trump has hosted for a foreign dignitary at the White House, although he has hosted
the leaders of Japan and China at his resort in Florida.

Before going to the White House, Modi met separately with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Trump and Modi share a populist streak and a knack for social media, but their economic nationalist
agendas could clash. While Trump champions the idea of "America First" and wants to stop the
migration of jobs overseas, Modi has his own drive to boost manufacturing at home, dubbed
"Make in India."

India is among the nations singled out by the Trump administration for their trade surpluses with
the U.S., and it is also reviewing a visa program used heavily by skilled Indian workers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/06/26/trump-
says-us-india-tied-together-in-friendship-after-modi-meeting.html


Top 10 takeaways from Modi’s U.S. visit

The Hindu Net Desk


Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, in Washington DC, USA on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: PTI

There were several crucial outcomes of the three-day trip, and here are the
top highlights


In focus during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. was his establishment of a personal
equation with U.S. President Donald Trump. The result seems to be positive with Mr. Modi saying
there was a perfect meeting of minds between the two. There were several other, crucial outcomes
of the three-day trip, and here are the top highlights:

Top CEOs upbeat about India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met top American CEOs of global giants, including Apple, Microsoft
and Google on issues ranging from visas, investment and job creation occupying the centre stage.

The CEOs round table was attended by Apple chief Tim Cook, Walmart head Doug McMillon, Caterpillar’s
Jim Umpleby, Google head Sundar Pichai and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella. India's growth is a win-win
situation for India and U.S., and companies have a great opportunity to contribute to that, Mr. Modi
told the CEOs. The response from the CEOs were positive, with many signalling continued investment
in India.

Pulling up Pakistan

The joint statement by Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi on Monday went beyond the earlier American position
while pulling up Pakistan. “The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to
launch terrorist attacks on other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to
justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks
perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups,” said the joint statement.

Coming closer on fighting terrorism

Stressing that terrorism was a “global scourge that must be fought and terrorist safe havens rooted
out in every part of the world,” the two leaders gave out a call root out “terrorist safe havens” in
“every part of the world”.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi said they were “committed to strengthening cooperation against terrorist
threats from groups including al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, D-Company,
and their affiliates. India appreciated the United States designation of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader
as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist as evidence of the commitment of the United States to
end terror in all its forms.”

Sale of 22 Guardian unmanned aerial systems

The US has cleared the sale of 22 unmanned Guardian drones to India, with the deal being termed
as a “game changer”. The deal, estimated to be worth $2-3 billion, has been approved by the State
Department, the sources said.

Maritime security and data sharing

The talks between the two leaders also touched on the topic of maritime security. Mr. Modi and
Mr. Trump announced their intention to ‘build on the implementation of the “White Shipping” data
sharing arrangement. The agreement allows countries to share data on maritime traffic and domain
awareness.

They also spoke about the upcoming MALABAR naval exercise. “Noting the importance of the
upcoming MALABAR naval exercise, the leaders determined to expand their engagements on shared
maritime objectives and to explore new exercises,” the joint statement said.

Shifting focus from the Indo-Pacific

Though the two leaders said they would take measures to strengthen their partnership in the Indo-
Pacific region, the language on this is much softer than earlier. They said they would: reiterate the
importance of respecting freedom of navigation, overflight, and commerce throughout the region;
and call upon all nations to resolve territorial and maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance
with international law. This is more in line with Mr. Trump’s line on China.

U.S. LNG for India

Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar told reporters that from next year liquefied natural gas (LNG)
from the U.S. will start flowing to India. Expect in the next many years the Indo-U.S. LNG trade
will be in excess of $40 billion, he said.

North Korea comes up

The two leaders touched on the topic of North Korea and condemned the country’s “continued
provocations”. The statement said that they emphasised that North Korea’s “destabilising pursuit
of nuclear and ballistic missile programs poses a grave threat to regional security and global peace.”

“The leaders pledged to work together to counter the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction programs,
including by holding accountable all parties that support these programs,” said the statement.

Climate change not on the agenda

Climate change, which was a major component of Mr. Modi’s engagement with Mr. Obama, did not
come up in the joint statement with Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump had announced that the US would be
pulling out of the landmark Paris accord,
pointing fingers at India and China. “India will be allowed
to double its coal production by 2020. Think of it: India can double their coal production. We’re
supposed to get rid of ours,” he had said. Mr. Modi, for his part, had said that India was committed
to going “above and beyond” the Paris deal.

Ivanka in India

The President’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, will lead the U.S delegation to Global Entrepreneurship
Summit (GES) later this year. GES is a key foreign policy initiative of former President Barack Obama
to bring together global entrepreneurs and innovators, and India will be hosting its next edition. The
event was expected to be a show of camaraderie between the two countries, and with Ms. Trump’s
participation, it would be gaining gravitas. “I’m excited to report that the Prime Minister has invited
my daughter, Ivanka, to lead the U.S. delegation,” said Mr. Trump.

source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/top-10-takeaways-from-modis-us-visit/article19154197.ece


Varghese K. George
JUNE 27, 2017 22


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S President Donald Trump jointly declared on Monday that
bilateral ties between India and the U.S would continue to grow, seeking to dispel the notions that the
latter’s election to the White House on a nationalist agenda might have a negative impact on the
relationship.

With Mr. Modi by his side in the Rose Garden of the White House after they met for the first time, Mr.
Trump said the relationship “has never been stronger, has never been better.” The leaders shared a
meal and three hugs in the four hours that Mr. Modi spent at the White House, and First Lady Melania
Trump gave the PM a tour of the residential quarter. The interaction between the leaders showed
“visible chemistry,” and “they were comfortable talking to each other,” Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar
told reporters. The one-on-one meeting lasted for 40 minutes.

Trump-Modi joint statement A joint statement by the leaders issued after the deliberations
underscored the fight against terrorism as a cornerstone of mutual cooperation between the countries,
went beyond the usual American position on Pakistan that usually pulls up it for harbouring terrorist
groups and echoed Indian concerns regarding the Chinese-led Belt and Road initiative. “We will destroy
radical Islamic terrorism,” Mr. Trump said.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to continuing the course on strategic convergence in Asia Pacific,
increasing defence trade partnership and added energy as a new thrust area of cooperation. A fact sheet
provided the by the White House said, with the sale of Guardian drones, Apache attack helicopters, and
C-17 aircraft, defence orders by India for American companies will be nearly $19 billion, “supporting
thousands of U.S jobs.”

Addressing the media after the formal talks but before the reception and dinner, Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi
spoke of shared democratic values, and their status of being leaders of two big democracies. “The
friendship between the United States and India is built on shared values, including our shared commitment
to democracy,” the President said. Mr. Modi said there was a meeting of minds between the two as,
“the top priority for both President Trump and myself is to protect our society from global challenges like
terrorism; and because our aim is the strengthening of India and the USA -- two great democracies in
the world.”

Mr. Trump and his guests usually take questions from media during Rose Garden appearances, but on
Monday questions were not allowed. As American reporters shouted questions, the leaders turned around
and walked back to the Oval Office. The White House had earlier said the “leaders preferred” to go
without questions on Monday.

As Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi spoke, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of
State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defence James Mattis, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce
Secretary Wilber Ross, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, President’s daughter Ivanka Trump
and son-in-law Jared Kushner sat in the harsh afternoon sun. Mr. Modi also a had meeting with Mr.
Pence in his office.

Mr. Modi invited the President’s daughter Invaka Trump to lead the U.S delegation to the Global
Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) which India will host later this year. GES is a key foreign policy initiative
of former President Barack Obama to bring together global entrepreneurs and innovators. The event
was expected to be show of camaraderie between the two countries, and with Ms. Trump’s participation,
it will also signal continuity from the Obama years. “I’m excited to report that the Prime Minister has
invited my daughter, Ivanka, to lead the U.S. delegation,” said Mr. Trump.

While Mr. Trump was explicit about fighting “Islamic” terrorism, Mr. Modi spoke of fighting radicalization.
“Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined to destroy
terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them,” said Mr. Trump.

Speaking after Mr. Trump, in Hindi, Mr, Modi said: “…we discussed the serious challenges of terrorism,
extremism, and radicalization, which are the major challenges facing the world today.

As they concluded the formal talks, Mr. Trump thanked India for ordering military equipment, though
there was no announcement of American decision to sell unarmed Guardian drones to India, as expected.
Market access and trade issues remain irritants in ties, and the President raised them in the public
statement and during the talks.
Read this article at source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/no-drifts-in-ties-modi-and-trump-declare/article
19155949.ece



Narendra Modi US visit highlights: Prime Minister
leaves for Amsterdam after ‘historic’ US visit

PM Narendra Modi US visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during joint Indo-US statement
invited President Donald Trump and his family for a visit to India. Both the leaders said
that the two nations have agreed to work on counter-terrorism operations.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi : June 27, 2017

President Donald Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump hug each other before the joint statement


Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in the United States on the second leg of his three-nation
tour, left for Amsterdam after he met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
During the meeting between the two leaders focused on pushing the strategic ties. Trump also
hosted PM Modi for a ‘working dinner’, in a first, at the White House.

At the joint press statement, President Donald Trump described US as a “true friend” to India and
said both the countries are working towards eradicating radical Islamic terrorism. Trump also
congratulated India for being the fastest growing economy and said that he looks forward to invest
more US energy in India. Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude to Trump and invited him and
his family to visit India.

During the meeting with CEOs on Sunday, PM Modi had asked them to invest in India stating that it
is ‘a business-friendly destination and that things will only get better once the game-changing tax
reform is implemented’. Modi also addressed the Indian diaspora at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner,
Virginia and talked about the surgical strikes conducted by India after Uri terror attack last year. He
said that the strikes proved that India can stand in its own defence when needed.

Below are the highlights:

8:00 am: PM Modi will visit Amsterdam, where he will meet with Dutch PM Mark Rutte. Much like US
visit, the issue of global terrorism and security is one of the issues that is likely to be discussed
between the two leaders.
7:20 am: In a statement, MEA described the US visit as ‘historic’ and said the countries have set
“new milestones” in Indo-US relationship.
7:05 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi issues a joint statement with President Donald Trump.
Watch Video:
6:58 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for visit to Amsterdam after US visit.
6:52 am: Prime Minister, during its joint statement, invites President Donald Trump and his family
to India. “I would like to invite you to India, along with your family. And I hope that you will give
me the opportunity to welcome you and host you in India,” he said.
6:50 am: During the joint statement, President Donald Trump said that both the nations will work
towards destroying radical Islamic terrorism. He also said that US is looking forward to exporting
more energy to India as its economy continues to grow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also stressed
on fighting terrorism in his joint statement and said both the nations have agreed on counter-
terrorism operation.
6:45 am: President Donald Trump and PM Narendra Modi take no questions after joint statement.
Both the leaders gave each other a hug before the joint statement.
6:44 am: The leaders are committed to continue close consultations and cooperation in support
of Afghanistan’s future. President Trump welcomed further Indian contributions to promote
Afghanistan’s democracy, stability, prosperity, and security. Both the leaders called upon all
nations to resolve territorial and maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with international
law: Indo-US statement.
5.20 am: PM Narendra Modi leaves the White House.
4.17 am: Hand-woven shawls from Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh were also presented
to President Trump.
4.15 am: PM Modi gave President Trump a folio containing an original commemorative postal stamp
that had been issued by India in 1965. View image on Twitter
3.24 am: PM Modi said they have agreed to work closely on boosting maritime trade and cooperation
and lauded Trump’s commitment towards strong India-USA bilateral relations.
3.20 am: Trade, commerce and investment are key areas. Technology, innovation and knowledge
economy are also areas were are actively looking at: PM Modi
3.17 am: PM Modi said India consider USA as a valued partner in their flagship programmes and
added that they discussed the problems arising due to terrorism and radicalisation.
3.14 am: Both India and USA are global engines of growth. Eliminating terrorism is among the
topmost priorities for us: PM Modi
3.10 am: Prime Minister Modi speaks during the joint presser, says his talks with US President are an
important moment in the cooperation between both the nations.
3.08 am: PM Modi invited my daughter Ivanka to lead US delegation to the global entrepreneurship
in India, and I believe she has accepted: President Trump
3.07 am: Always had admiration for your country, people, culture, heritage and traditions: President
Trump tells Modi.
3.06 am: Both countries are affected by terror, and we resolve that will destroy radical Islamic terror:
President Trump
3.05 am: You have a true friend in the White House…our ties have never been stronger and better:
President Trump
3.04 am: During the joint press meet, US President Donald Trump said it was great honour to
welcome the leader of the world’s largest democracy.
3.02 am: PM Modi and President Trump are currently issuing a joint statement at the Rose Garden
in the White House.
2.40 am: Modi and Trump will give a joint press statement in Rose Garden, White House shortly.
2.20 am: US first lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump welcome PM Modi on his arrival
at the White House. View image on Twitter

2.05 am: During delegation level talks, President Trump thanked India for ordering equipment from
the US and insisted that no one makes military equipment like the US.
2.00 am: Delegation level talks are underway between India and USA in the cabinet room at the
White House,
reports ANI.
1.40 am: “You have done a great job economically and you are doing well in so many ways,I would
like to
congratulate you,” President Trump was quoted as saying by PM Modi.
1.38 am: PM Modi and US President Donald Trump are currently holding their first face-to-face
meeting in
Washington.
1.26 am: President Donald Trump has welcomed me with immense warmth. I thank him for the
welcome: PM Modi.
1.15 am: Prime Minister Modi reached the White House as US President Donald Trump and his wife
Melania receive
him outside.
1.05 am: PM Modi has arrived at the White House to meet President Trump.
12.05 am: View image on Twitter


11.35 pm: Meanwhile, this is what Apple CEO Tim Cook has to say about Modi’s visit.
View image on Twitter

11.14 pm: India has welcomed the US’s move. Reflecting on this notification, Ministry of External
Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said,”India welcomes this notification. It underlines also quite
strongly that both India and the US face threat of terrorism.”
10.55 pm: Hours before the first meeting Modi and Trump, the US State Department has
designated Syed Salahuddin, the head of Kashmiri militant group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen as a specially
designated global terrorist.
10.41 pm: MEA presser is currently underway ahead of Modi-Trump meet.
9:25 pm: I think US has come to terms with reality that Pakistan’s and America’s policies, especially
in relation to terrorist groups don’t coincide: Haqqani
9:15 pm: I think President Trump and PM Modi will probably lay foundations of much stronger India
US partnership: Former Pakistan envoy to US, Husain Haqqani
9:10 pm: PM Narendra Modi meets US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington DC. (ANI photo)

8:55 pm: There’s an inherent tension between America first and Make in India. Trump wants to
keep jobs in US, Modi wants American, Western companies to go to India. There is still scope for
cooperation. India US relation is invested with so much goodwill, ANI quotes Michael Kugelman,
South Asia senior associate Wilson Center.


US: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets United States Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis in Washington

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a three-nation tour — Portugal, the United States and
Netherlands — and he will be back in India on Wednesday. On June 24, he visited Portugal to hold
talks with Prime Minister Antonio Costa and discuss ways to further enhance the bilateral engagement.
In Lisbon, he hailed the contributions of over 65,000 Indians in Portugal, saying they were India’s
“real ambassadors” and have enriched the culture of the country they have made their home.

Then he jetted off to the US on a two-day tour. After reaching Washington, he first enthused people
to invest in India in a round-table interaction with a group of CEOs, including Tim Cook of Apple Inc.,
Satya Nadella from Microsoft and Sunder Pichai from Google. Then, as per schedule, Modi met US
President Donald Trump at White House where two leaders spent more than four hours together,
ending the meeting with a working dinner. Both held a joint press briefing where the prime minister
said, “We talked about terrorism, extremism and radicalisation and agreed to cooperate on this.”
At the end of his speech, Modi invited Donald Trump for a state visit to India, extending further
personal ties with him.
Pictures and videos arriving from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign tour:


Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with President Donald Trump, as first lady Melania Trump looks on as Modi
departs the White House. (Source: AP Photo)


President Donald Trump arrives for a joint news conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rose Garden of the
White House in Washington. (Source: REUTERS)


US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prior to an Oval Office
meeting at the White House. (Source: REUTERS


Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs US President Donald Trump as he leaves the White House after a visit. (Source: REUTERS)


Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a group photograph with Indo-US business leaders at a meeting in Washington DC,
USA on Sunday. (PTI Photo)


Narendra Modi arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Washington DC, USA on Sunday. (PTI Photo)


The prime minister being warmly welcomed by the people of Indian community, on his arrival at Joint Base Andrews,
Washington DC, USA on Sunday. (PTI Photo)


Narendra Modi being welcomed, on his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Washington DC, USA on Sunday. (PTI Photo)


PM Narendra Modi meets President Donald Trump
in White House: In Pics


President Donald Trump and his wife Melania on Monday accorded a warm red carpet welcome to
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House.


Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in the United States on the second leg of his
three-nation tour, met US President Donald Trump at the White House. The two world leaders
shared few good moments at the Oval office and later discussed issues of mutual importance at the
delegation level talks. After the meeting, PM Modi and President Trump addressed a joint press
conference where they vowed to fight Islamic terrorism and to work for mutual socio-economical
growth.

Here is the highlights of his visit on day three in pictures.

PM Narendra Modi with US Secretary of State Mr Rex W Tillerson,

PM Narendra Modi with US Secretary of Defence Mr. Jim Mattis.


President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi share a laugh as PM Modi arrives
at the White House.


President Donald Trump shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their
meeting in the Oval Office.


U.S. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump meets with Indian Prime Minister Modi at the
White House in Washington.


President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walks along the Colonnade as they welcome
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House.


President Donald Trump, left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, and their delegations
have a bilateral meeting at the White House.


Indian Prime Minister Modi and delegation participates in meeting at the White House in Washington.


U.S. President Trump speaks as he and cabinet members meet with Indian Prime Minister Modi in
the cabinet room at the White House in Washington.


U.S. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Modi arrive for joint press conference at the White
House in Washington.


India's Prime Minister Modi hugs US President Trump as they give joint statements in the Rose
Garden of the White House in Washington.


PM Modi presented President Trump a folio containing an original commemorative postal stamp that
had been issued by India in 1965.


Indian and US delegations hold talks (Reuters Photo)

Modi gifted Trump's wife, First Lady Melania, a hamper with a handcrafted Himachali silver bracelet,
and tea and honey from the Kangra Valley.
ALSO READ | Guided White House tour, 1965 stamp, J-K shawls: Gifts PM Modi, Trump exchanged
at White House


Modi attends a working dinner hosted by Trump (Reuters Photo)

Trump approves $2bn drone deal with India ahead
of Modi meeting

AP June 24, 2017

The Trump administration has authorised the sale of unarmed surveillance drones to India, the
manufacturer of the drones said Friday, as the two nations' leaders prepare for their first face-to-
face meeting.

India initiated its request to buy 22 Guardian MQ-9B unmanned aircraft for maritime surveillance
last year.

The deal is estimated to be worth about $2 billion. The offer is still subject to congressional approval.

The green light from the administration marks a further deepening in defence ties as India's Prime
Minister Narendra Modi meets with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

However, Modi's two-day visit to Washington, which starts Sunday, takes place amid uncertainty
over the relationship between the two countries because of differences on trade and other issues.

So far in his presidency, Trump has focused on outreach to China, India's strategic rival, as he looks
to Beijing to rein in North Korea. But Washington and New Delhi share concerns about China's rise
as a military power.

India reportedly wants the drones for surveillance of the Indian Ocean waters that China's navy
increasingly traverses after establishing its first overseas base in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti.

“We are pleased that the US government has cleared the way for the sale of the MQ-9B Guardian
to the Indian government,” Linden Blue, CEO of the manufacturer, General Atomics Aeronautical
Systems, said in a statement. Blue added that it would “significantly enhance India's sovereign
maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific.”

A congressional staffer familiar with the matter confirmed the administration has approved the sale.
The staffer was not authorised to discuss the potential deal and requested anonymity.

David McKeeby, spokesman for the State Department bureau of political-military affairs, said it does
not comment on proposed defence sales before Congress is formally notified

. A senior White House official said Friday that the US is interested in providing India the kind of
high technology it provides to its closest allies and defence partners.

That is important to the strategic partnership and for cooperation in areas like the Indian Ocean,
and also creates US jobs, said the official, who requested anonymity to brief reporters on the
preparations for Modi's visit.

India does not have a formal alliance with the US, but defence ties have intensified in recent years
with joint drills between the two militaries and defence sales. The South Asian nation, which has
traditionally bought most of its defence equipment from Russia, is looking to upgrade its capabilities.

Since 2008, India has signed more than $15bn in US defence contracts, including for C-130J and
C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, Harpoon missiles and Apache and Chinook
helicopters.

Ashley Tellis, an expert on South Asia at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the
US decision to offer the Guardian aircraft to India is significant as the US has a standing policy of
declining export of such advanced drones other than to allies involved in combined operations with
US forces.

“Much bureaucratic china within the US government had to be broken to get to this decision,” he said.
There could still be push-back from Congress. While there is bipartisan support for closer US-India
security ties, some lawmakers remain wary of the export of US drone technology to non-allies.

Modi, a Hindu nationalist, will be making his fourth visit to the US since he took office in 2014. He
forged a strong relationship with President Barack Obama, and on his last visit in June 2016, he
addressed Congress and described the US as an “indispensable partner.”

The visit is likely to be lower key and aimed at building a personal bond between the two leaders,
who have spoken twice by phone since Trump took office. Modi will be the first foreign dignitary to
be hosted for dinner at the White House during Trump's presidency.

They share a populist streak and a knack for using social media, and are likely to find common ground
on combating Islamic extremism. Modi will be urging a tougher stance on Pakistan over militants that
India blames for attacks on its territory.

But there could be increased strains on trade issues.

India is among nations singled out by the Trump administration for their trade surpluses with the US,
which in India's case totalled $30.8bn in 2016. New Delhi is also closely watching the administration's
review of the H1B visa program, under which thousands of skilled Indian workers come to the US.

New Delhi was irked by Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord. In making the
announcement, the US president said New Delhi had made its participation “contingent on receiving
billions and billions and billions of dollars in foreign aid.” India denies that and says it will continue
to be part of the accord, regardless of US participation.

Curtsey:DAWN.COM

Trump, Modi call on Pakistan to stem terrorist attacks

AFP | AP | Reuters June 27, 2017

President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, step into the Rose Garden to make joint statements at the
White House.─AP

US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraced each other as
friends and partners Monday, vowing to work more closely on combating terrorism, the war on
Afghanistan and defence cooperation.

The two leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks
on other countries, a statement from the White House said.

Trump and Modi also “called on all nations to resolve territorial and maritime disputes peacefully
and in accordance with international law,” the statement said.

Addressing a small audience at the White House following a bilateral meeting with senior members
of their administrations, Trump said both the US and India have been affected by the “evils of
terrorism” and the “radical ideology that drives them.”

While Trump's relations with some traditional allies had a rocky start, he and Modi appeared to
strike up an immediate rapport in their first meeting, exchanging hugs in the White House Rose
Garden in front of reporters.

While there were no major announcements, Trump's administration confirmed it had given the
green light to the $366 million sale of a transport carrier to India, along with a separate purchase
of around 20 drones.

The United States has become the leading supplier of defense equipment to India, signing contracts
worth more than $15 billion since 2008.

Modi and Trump pledged their quest for economic growth would strengthen rather than undermine
ties between the world's two largest democracies.

“I would say the relationship between India and the United States has never been stronger, has
never been better,” Trump told a beaming Modi as they made statements.

“I look forward to working with you, Mr prime minister, to create jobs in our countries, to grow our
economies and to create a trading relationship that is fair and reciprocal.”

After Trump said it was “important that barriers be removed to the export of US goods into your
markets and that we reduce our trade deficit with your country,” Modi said India was becoming an
easier place for American companies to do business.

“We consider the United States as our primary partner in India's socio-economic transformation in
all our flagship programs and schemes,” he added.

“I'm sure that convergence between my vision for a new India and President Trump's vision for
'Making America Great Again' will add a new dimension to our cooperation,” added Modi, in
reference to Trump's signature campaign slogan.

Any differences over issues such as immigration and climate change were kept behind closed doors.

'New strength'

Commentators had predicted that Trump and Modi would find much in common, with both men
having won power by portraying themselves as establishment outsiders.

Both men are prolific users of social media, something Trump joked about with his guest.

“We're believers, giving the people... the opportunity to hear directly from their elected officials
and for us to hear directly from them,” said Trump.

Modi in turn made Trump smile by hailing the property tycoon's reputation as dealmaker.

“I'm sure that... your vast and successful experience in the business world will lend an aggressive
and bold agenda to our relations.”

Their warm words extended into the evening, when Modi became the first foreign leader to enjoy a
White House dinner since Trump came to power.

“We enjoy a wonderful relationship, but it's never been better than it is today,” Trump told Modi at
the dinner.

While ties with some allies have been strained by Trump's complaints that Washington has been the
loser in trade agreements, Modi appears sensitive to his host's emphasis on transactional diplomacy.

India is currently the world's fastest growing major economy, a status that Modi is hoping to cement
by drawing in more foreign investment ─ in part by encouraging manufacturers to do business in
Asia's third-largest economy.

Busy day of meetings

Ahead of his talks with Trump, Modi met with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson.

The State Department later announced that it was slapping sanctions on a senior figure in the Kashmiri
separatist group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

The designation of Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist marks a diplomatic victory for India, which
has been battling a decades-long insurgency by separatist groups in Kashmir.

US-India relations were generally cool until the 1990s, but they warmed under Trump's predecessor
Barack Obama as India sought greater foreign investment and trade ties.

Shortly after Trump's election, obstacles emerged on issues such as trade and visas for Indians wanting
to work in the United States.

Trump then accused India of seeking to profit from the Paris climate accord as he announced the US
withdrawal from the deal this month.

A proposed overhaul of H-1B visas ─ used by thousands of Indian software engineers to work in the
United States ─ has caused concern in New Delhi.

But Indian officials have downplayed those differences, insisting that Modi was alert to Trump's concerns
over jobs and trade.

Afghanistan on agenda

Regional security did feature in the talks, including on Afghanistan, as Washington considers deploying
up to 5,000 extra troops to help local forces fighting insurgent groups.

Trump said he wanted to “thank the Indian people” for their contribution to helping development in
Afghanistan.

Modi in turn said India “would maintain close consultation and communication with the US” to achieve
the joint goal of “peace and stability.”

Modi-Trump meet: India, US move closer on Pakistan
than during Obama years

Indrani Bagchi | TNN | Jun 27, 2017

HIGHLIGHTS
• The sentiment was unusually sharp, holding Pakistan responsible for creating safe havens for
terror groups.
• They called on Pakistan to ensure its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other
countries.

(PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: On terrorism and Afghanistan-Pakistan, India and US appear to be closer today than they
were during the Obama years. After Monday's summit, which was preceded by the US listing Syed
Salahuddin as a global terrorist+ , the two sides decided they would "destroy radical Islamic terrorism".
While Trump has always spelt out "Islamic" terrorism, Modi has been careful to not associate terrorism
with any religion, having spoken enough on the subject.

Two things stood out in the Modi-Trump joint statement+ . First, the creation of "a new consultation
mechanism on domestic and international terrorist designations listing proposals." This would presumably
help US and India to coordinate their moves both bilaterally and multilaterally on listing terrorists.
Currently, the US, UK and France are together sponsoring a move to ban Masood Azhar in the 1267
committee of the UNSC. This is being opposed by China, which has maintained a block on this for
over a year now.

Trump in his remarks said, "Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are
both determined to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will
destroy radical Islamic terrorism."

Pakistan did not get off lightly this time. At least on the statement, the sentiment was unusually
sharp, holding Pakistan responsible for creating safe havens for terror groups

They called on Pakistan to ensure its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries.
Pakistan was also asked to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other
cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups. These are old lines and have
found space in previous joint statements. Pakistan wasn't deterred then and it is unlikely to be
deterred now.

The Modi-Trump meeting happened days after the Trump administration wrapped up the SRAP (Special
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan) office in the State Department, signalling that Pakistan
does not need special attention. The US is also expected to announce an Af-Pak policy soon, though
the shape of that policy was part of the discussions.

On Afghanistan, Trump said, "I also thank the Indian people for their contributions to the effort in
Afghanistan". The joint statement elaborated it further. "The increasing instability due to terrorism
in Afghanistan is one of our common concerns. Both India and America have played an important role
in rebuilding Afghanistan and ensuring its security. In order to attain our objectives for peace and
stability in Afghanistan, we will maintain close consultation and communication with the US to enhance
coordination between our two nations."

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/modi-trump-meet-india-us-move-closer-on-pakistan-than-during-obama-years
/articleshow/59338834.cms


Impact of US-India relations on Pakistan discussed

The Newspaper's Correspondent June 01, 2016


US Senator Ben Cardin

WASHINGTON: How would a strong relationship between the United States and India affect America’s
relations with Pakistan?

Senator Ben Cardin’s question, asked at a recent hearing of the US Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations, led to a long debate on this issue among US lawmakers, a senior State Department official
and think-tank experts.

The hearing, called to review US-India relations, moved on to Pakistan when Senator David Perdue,
a Republican member of the committee, asked Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central
Asia Nisha Desai Biswal for an update on the Pakistan-India security issues and to share the State
Department’s perspective on the relationship between the two countries.

Senator Cardin, the committee’s ranking Democrat, however, further expanded this debate when
he asked the participants to help the panel “understand how the United States can strengthen its ties
with India as it relates to our relationship with Pakistan”.

“Quite frankly, I don’t quite understand the full impact of that relationship,” he added.

Assistant Secretary Biswal enunciated the policy that the Obama administration borrowed from its
predecessors: Pakistan and India need to resolve their bilateral issues on their own, the US can
encourage them to stay engaged but it would not get involved.

“Clearly we have long encouraged India and Pakistan to engage in dialogues and to address some of
the many issues that continue to be outstanding in that relationship,” she said.

“We have a very important relationship with each country and we seek to advance our interests with
each country. We don’t see this as zero sum but we do recognise that for India and Pakistan there
are a number of outstanding issues between both that would be benefited by dialogue.”

Ms Biswal also explained that countering and combating terrorism was “an important objective,” not
just for India, Pakistan or Afghanistan but for the US as well.

“So these are areas that we try to support conversations across all of our bilateral relationships as
well as pushing countries in the region to address it themselves,” she added.

She also emphasised the need to combat all terrorist groups active in the South Asian region,
without any exception.

“We do believe that, increasingly, there is recognition that no kind of terrorist organisation will be
acceptable, that you cannot differentiate between good terrorists and bad terrorists,” she said.

“That has been a stalwart tenant of our engagement in the region. And we do believe that we are
starting to get that recognition back in at least the commitment that countries in the region are
making to us,” she added.

But the US official also said that this commitment had to be translated into action. “We do need
to see more in terms of actions in that space and we’ll continue to push on those issues,” she said.

Senator Cardin, while widening the debate, noted that the US had made a decision several decades
ago to have a more strategic relationship with Pakistan.

“We have many issues with what Pakistan does, but we have a strategic partnership that’s critically
important to our counter-terrorism activities,” he said. “As a result, there are economic issues
between our two countries, including military issues that advance US interest.”

Turning to a group of experts the panel had invited to talk about US-India relations, Senator Cardin
asked: “How do we handle Pakistan in our relationship with India? Because it seems to me it’s
almost a subject we don’t talk about.”

The lawmaker also noted that his home state, Maryland, had a large Pakistani-American community
and an equally large Indian-American community. “And, quite frankly, they’re much friendlier than
the countries’ representatives are,” he observed.

“So, how would you recommend the United States handle its relationship with Pakistan as it relates
to India?” he asked.

Alyssa Ayres, a senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the US Council on Foreign
Relations, called this “one of the most challenging questions” for dealing with US policy towards
the region.

“Pakistan, in the past several years, has missed a number of opportunities to allow itself to better
its ties with India, and to allow itself to open its economy further to some of the opportunities that
its strategic location affords it,” she said.

Ms Ayers, an Indian-American, blamed Pakistan for keeping South Asia as one of the economically
least integrated regions in the world. She said that while India granted Pakistan the most favoured
nation status in 1996, Pakistan did not reciprocate and that’s why the two countries still had a
“very limited relationship”.

Commenting on her effort to present India’s perspective, Senator Cardin said: “I understand that
Pakistan has issues”, but asked her to explain what should the US be asking from India “in regards
to how do we handle Pakistan in our relationship with India?”

“I think we should be asking Pakistan to do more on A, the trade openings, and B, the counter-
terrorism questions,” Ms Ayers responded.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2016


The two leaders say goodbye before Modi leaves the White House (Reuters Photo)

Full text of the joint statement between PM Narendra Modi and
US President Donald Trump at the White House

JUNE 27, 2017


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump give out a joint statement after their meeting at White House,
in Washington DC, USA on Tuesday.

A joint statement by U.S President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday
after their first meeting made terrorism the cornerstone of mutual cooperation between the
countries. The statement went beyond the usual American position while pulling up Pakistan and
echoed Indian concerns regarding the Chinese-led Belt and Road initiative.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. Prime Minister Modi, thank you for being here with us
today. It’s a great honor to welcome the leader of the world’s largest democracy to the White House.

I have always had a deep admiration for your country and for its people, and a profound appreciation
for your rich culture, heritage and traditions. This summer, India will celebrate the 70th anniversary
of its independence, and on behalf of the United States, I want to congratulate the Indian people on
this magnificent milestone in the life of your very, very incredible nation.

During my campaign, I pledged that if elected, India would have a true friend in the White House.
And that is now exactly what you have -- a true friend. The friendship between the United States
and India is built on shared values, including our shared commitment to democracy. Not many people
know it, but both American and the Indian constitutions begin with the same three very beautiful
words: We the people.

The Prime Minister and I both understand the crucial importance of those words, which helps to form
the foundation of cooperation between our two countries. Relations between countries are strongest
when they are devoted to the interests of the people we serve. And after our meetings today, I will
say that the relationship between India and the United States has never been stronger, has never
been better.

I’m proud to announce to the media, to the American people, and to the Indian people, that Prime
Minister Modi and I are world leaders in social media -- (laughter) -- we’re believers -- giving the
citizens of our countries the opportunity to hear directly from their elected officials, and for us to
hear directly from them. I guess it’s worked very well in both cases.

I am thrilled to salute you, Prime Minister Modi, and the Indian people for all that you are
accomplishing together. Your accomplishments have been vast. India has the fastest growing
economy in the world. We hope we’re going to be catching you very soon in terms of percentage
increase, I have to tell you that. We’re working on it.

In just two weeks, you will begin to implement the largest tax overhaul in your country’s history
-- we’re doing that also, by the way -- creating great new opportunities for your citizens. You
have a big vision for improving infrastructure, and you are fighting government corruption,
which is always a grave threat to democracy.

Together, our countries can help chart an optimistic path into the future, one that unleashes the
power of new technology, new infrastructure, and the enthusiasm and excitement of very
hardworking and very dynamic people.

I look forward to working with you, Mr. Prime Minister, to create jobs in our countries, to grow
our economies, and to create a trading relationship that is fair and reciprocal. It is important
that barriers be removed to the export of U.S. goods into your markets, and that we reduce
our trade deficit with your country.

I was pleased to learn about an Indian Airlines recent order of 100 new American planes, one
of the largest orders of its kind, which will support thousands and thousands of American jobs.
We’re also looking forward to exporting more American energy to India as your economy
grows, including major long-term contracts to purchase American natural gas, which are right
now being negotiated, and we will sign them. Trying to get the price up a little bit.

To further our economic partnership, I’m excited to report that the Prime Minister has invited
my daughter, Ivanka, to lead the U.S. delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in
India this fall. And I believe she has accepted.

Finally, the security partnership between the United States and India is incredibly important.
Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined to
destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy
radical Islamic terrorism. Our militaries are working every day to enhance cooperation
between our military forces. And next month, they will join together with the Japanese navy
to take place in the largest maritime exercise ever conducted in the vast Indian Ocean.

I also thank the Indian people for their contributions to the effort in Afghanistan, and for
joining us in applying new sanctions against the North Korean regime. The North Korean
regime is causing tremendous problems and is something that has to be dealt with, and
probably dealt with rapidly.

Working together, I truly believe our two countries can set an example for many other nations,
make great strides in defeating common threats, and make great progress in unleashing
amazing prosperity and growth.

Prime Minister Modi, thank you again for joining me today, and for visiting our country and our
wonderful White House and Oval Office. I enjoyed our very productive conversation this
afternoon, and look forward to its continuation tonight at dinner. The future of our partnership
has never looked brighter. India and the United States will always be tied together in friendship
and respect.

Prime Minister Modi, thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.)

PRIME MINISTER MODI: (As interpreted.) President Donald Trump and First Lady, Vice President,
ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen of the media: Right from the opening tweet to the
end of our talks, President Trump's welcome, which was filled with friendliness, his warm
welcome to the White House by himself and the First Lady, I would like to thank both of you
from the bottom of my heart for this warm welcome.

I would also like to give a special thanks to you, President Trump, for having spent so much
time with me, for having spoken such kind words about me and my country. And I would like to
tell you that I'm eager to welcome your daughter to India for the Entrepreneurship Summit.

President Trump, I'd once again like to thank you for the time that you have spent with me. I'd
like to give you special thanks for that.

My visit and our talks today will mark a very important page in the history of the collaboration
and cooperation between our two nations. The talks between his Excellency, President Trump,
and myself today have been extremely important from all points of view, for several reasons:
Because they were based on mutual trust; because of the convergence and similarities they
revealed in our values, and our priorities, and in our concerns and interests; because they
focused on the highest levels of achievement in our cooperation, and mutual support, and
partnership; because our two countries are global engines of growth; because the all-around
or comprehensive economic growth and joint progress of both countries and both societies is
the main objective for both the President and myself, and will remain so; because the top
priority for both President Trump and myself is to protect our society from global challenges
like terrorism; and because our aim is the strengthening of India and the USA -- two great
democracies in the world -- friends.

Our robust strategic partnership is such that it touches upon almost all areas of human
endeavor. In our conversation today, President Trump and I have discussed all dimensions of
India-U.S. relations at length. Both nations are committed to a bilateral architecture that will
take our strategic partnership to new heights.

In this relationship, in both countries, increased productivity, growth, job creation, and break-
through technologies -- an engagement towards all these are, and will remain, strong drivers
of our cooperation, and will give further momentum to our relationship.

We consider the USA as our primary partner for India's social and economic transformation in
all our flagship programs and schemes. I am sure that the convergence between my vision for
a "new India and President Trump's vision for "making America great again" will add new
dimensions to our cooperation.

I am very clear about the fact that India's interests lie in a strong, and prosperous, and
successful America. In the same way, India's development and its growing role at the
international level are in the USA's interest.

One of our common priorities will be the development of trade, commerce, and investment
links. And in this regard, in the technology, innovation, and knowledge-economy sectors, the
expansion and deepening of cooperation is also among our priorities. Towards this end, we shall
take steps to further strengthen our successful digital partnership.

Friends, we are not just partners by chance. We are also partners in dealing with current and
future challenges that we may be faced with. Today, during our meeting, we discussed the
serious challenges of terrorism, extremism, and radicalization, which are the major challenges
facing the world today. And we have agreed to enhance our cooperation in fighting against these
scourges. Fighting terrorism and doing away with the safe shelters, sanctuaries, and safe havens
will be an important part of our cooperation.

With respect to our common concerns on terrorism, we will also enhance our sharing of intelligence,
and exchange information to deepen and expand our policy coordination as far as possible.

We also spoke at length on regional issues. The increasing instability, due to terrorism, in
Afghanistan is one of our common concerns. Both India and America have played an important role
in rebuilding Afghanistan and ensuring its security. In order to attain our objectives for peace and
stability in Afghanistan, we will maintain close consultation and communication with the U.S. to
enhance coordination between our two nations.

In the Indo-Pacific region, in order to maintain peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, this
is also another objective of our strategic cooperation in this area. The increasing possibilities for
enhancing cooperation in order to protect our strategic interests will continue to determine the
dimensions of our partnership. We will continue to work with the USA in this region.

With regard to security-related challenges, our enhanced and growing defense and security
cooperation is extremely important. We have spoken at length on this subject as well.

The strengthening of India’s defense capabilities, with the help of USA, is something that we truly
appreciate. We have also decided to enhance maritime security cooperation between the two
nations. President Trump and I have also spoken about strengthening bilateral defense technology
and our trade and manufacturing partnership, which we believe will be mutually beneficial to us.

We also discussed international issues and our common strategic interests. In this context, we are
extremely grateful for the continued support of the United States for India’s membership of
international institutions and regimes. We truly appreciate the support, because this is also in the
interest of both our nations.

President Trump, I thank you for your feelings of friendship towards India and myself. I deeply
appreciate your strong commitment to the enhancement of our bilateral relations. I am sure that
under your leadership, our mutually beneficial strategic partnership will gain new strength, new
positivity, and will reach new heights, and that your vast and successful experience in the business
world will lend an aggressive and forward-looking agenda to our relations.

In this journey of India-America relations, I think I would like to thank you for providing great
leadership. Be assured that in this joint journey of our two nations towards development, growth
and prosperity, I will remain a driven, determined, and decisive partner.

Excellency, my visit today and the extensive talks I have held with you have been very successful,
very fruitful. And before leaving this mic, I would like to invite you to India, along with your family.
And I hope that you will give me the opportunity to welcome you and host you in India.

And at the end, once again, I’d like to thank you for the warm welcome extended by you and the
First Lady to myself and my delegation, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. (Applause.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much, everybody. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Trump-Modi joint statement. source:The Hindu: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/full-text-of-the-joint
-statement-between-pm-narendra-modi-and-us-president-donald-trump-at-the-white-house/article19153693.ece



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