PM Modi thanks 'close friend' Obama for supporting India's NSG bid, says working shoulder to shoulder with US
Modi, Obama promise to work together for world's sake
Building on their close personal bonding, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama on Tuesday promised to work together for the sake of global peace and security and the benefit of developing countries.
"India has made a name for itself as the fastest growing economy in the world," Modi said in a joint address to the media with Obama following bilateral talks in the Oval Office of the White House.
"We (India and the US) will work together for the world's peace and security," he said.
The Prime Minister said the two sides discussed a range of issues of cooperation from business and technology to governance.
"In the last two years, India and the US worked shoulder-to-shoulder on issues like nuclear security, global warming, counter-terrorism, and Paris (climate) agreement," Modi said.
"Today, we discussed about taking our economy to new heights and about cyber security."
The Prime Minister described India as a young country with 800 million people under the age of 35.
"India and the US can work together to use this talent and youth power for the welfare of the world," he said.
He also stressed India and the US have been cooperating on global issues such as nuclear security, global warming and terrorism.
Modi also thanked Obama for his support to India's membership in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Delighted to meet @POTUS again. We had very good discussions on India-USA ties. pic.twitter.com/dcxkWI5gnO
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 7, 2016
Obama said India and the US were the largest democracies in the world.
"Our wider cooperation will be helpful for developing countries of the world.
"India is a young country and and we are aware of the talent it has. We will continue to work together in the future too," he said.
Saluting ultimate courage...offered tributes at the @ArlingtonNatl. pic.twitter.com/WBqpPKzwJE
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 7, 2016
The President also said the two sides discussed about the progress made in the bilateral civilian nuclear agreement and India's membership of the NSG.
"We also discussed about nuclear technology falling into wrong hands," he said.
Obama later hosted a lunch in honour of Modi.
Nuclear cooperation: #IndiaUS have laid a foundation for lasting p'ships b/w companies for nuclear plants in India pic.twitter.com/mChC9RSEUl
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 7, 2016
This was the seventh meeting between Modi and Obama as Prime Minister and President.
Modi arrived here on Monday from Switzerland on his second bilateral visit to the US after his trip in September 2014.
He is visiting the US at the invitation of Obama, who in the last year of his presidency is inviting a few world leaders with whom he shared a "close and productive working relationship".
Later on Tuesday, Modi is scheduled to attend a meeting of business leaders and address the annual general meeting of the US-India Business Council (USIBC).
PM @narendramodi: We have discussed a range of issues of coopn today from business and technology to governance pic.twitter.com/4T7xan39JN
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 7, 2016
After arriving here on Monday, Modi visited the Arlington National Cemetery and laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial.
He then attended a meeting with heads of US think tanks.
Modi later took part in function in which some valuable Indian artifacts were repatriated.
"We are very grateful for government of the US and the President for returning a part of our culture. This heritage inspires us for the future," he said.
.@POTUS welcomed India’s application to join NSG & re-affirmed that India is ready for membership. pic.twitter.com/dCf980USvX
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 7, 2016
During her address at ceremony of Repatriation of Cultural Property, US Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said: "Today (Monday) we begin the process of returning more than 200 stolen cultural objects back to India."
The highlight of Modi's visit this year will be his address to a joint sitting of the US Congress on Wednesday.
He will be the fifth Indian Prime Minister to address the US Congress after Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
In a special gesture, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan will host a lunch in the Prime Minister's honour.
A joint reception is also being organised by the Senate, the House of Representatives and the India Caucus.
Later on Wednesday, Modi will leave for Mexico on the fifth and final leg of his five-nation tour.
Prior to Switzerland, he visited Afghanistan and Qatar.
US RETURNS ANCIENT ARTEFACTS, MODI EXPRESSES THANKS
From a bronze Ganesh to a Jain figure of Bahubali, the US has returned more than 200 pieces of rare cultural artefacts to India during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Here are pictures of some of the artefacts. pic.twitter.com/Q4PWMOee2X
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 7, 2016
Modi expressed his gratitude for the return of the ancient artefacts during a ceremony on Monday night here.
"We are very grateful for government of the US and the President for returning a part of our culture. This heritage inspires us for the future," he said.
"Usually it's the present that brings nations together, but sometimes it's the heritage that brings two nations closer. Over the past two years, various countries have endeavoured to return India's stolen cultural heritage," said Modi who arrived in the US on Monday on the fourth leg of his five-nation tour.
"My gratitude to the US government for the sensitivity shown to India's heritage. This will evoke great respect among the people of India," he said, according to External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup's tweets.
"There treasures are to be enjoyed by the entire world. Technology can help us catch those indulging in illicit trafficking," he added.
Earlier, Swarup posted along with pictures of the artefacts: "From a bronze Ganesh to a Jain figure of Bahubali, here are pics of some of the returned cultural artefacts."
During her address at ceremony of Repatriation of Cultural Property, US Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said: "Today (Monday) we begin the process of returning more than 200 stolen cultural objects back to India."
Earlier, Modi paid tribute to the US space scientists who lost their lives during their research in space at the Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial and also laid a wreath at Arlington Cemetery (Washington DC), the tomb of US soldiers killed during conflicts.
During his visit to Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial, Modi met NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and the family of Kalpana Chawla, Indo-American astronaut, and invited them to visit India.
He later had an interaction with thinktanks in Washington.
"Probing the minds of those who shape foreign policy. PM @narendramodi at an interaction with thinktanks in Washington," Swarup tweeted.
Modi arrived in Washington on Monday on a three-day visit, during which he will hold talks with President Barack Obama to review bilateral ties and address a joint session of the US Congress.
This is the Prime Minister's fourth visit to the US in the last two years.
From a bronze Ganesh to a Jain figure of Bahubali, here are pics of some of the returned cultural artifacts pic.twitter.com/k1BmSytUY4
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 6, 2016
MODI DEMONSTRATED INDIAN LEADERSHIP ON CLIMATE CHANGE: WHITE HOUSE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come in for praise from the White House over India's fight against climate change ahead of his meeting with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, addressing a briefing on Monday, said that Modi has demonstrated a "lot of leadership" on the issue of fighting climate change.
"Obviously, this is a situation where Modi demonstrated a lot of leadership, even in the face of a difficult political climate back home. He committed India to standards that will be good for the Indian population... (and) will be good for the rest of the world, too," Earnest said ahead of Modi's meeting with Obama, who has been championing the fight against climate change.
A defining relationship for our era. PM @narendramodi meets President @BarackObama, holds talks at the Oval Office pic.twitter.com/e73Yg08lmu
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 7, 2016
Earnest said Obama acknowledges the important role India played in making commitments to climate change agreement in Paris.
The US President has a lot of respect for the way Modi has handled the issue, and both the leaders will discuss about what more the US and India can do to advance the climate agenda, Earnest told the reporters.
Earnest said that he expects Modi and Obama to discuss the economic ties between the US and India.
"The economic relationship between the US and India is an important one, and it is a relationship that benefits both our citizens," he said.
"We have seen, in recent years, greater and closer coordination between US and Indian national security officials. The President is certainly interested in trying to deepen and strengthen those ties because it would enhance the national security of both our countries."
When asked if Obama was going to work hard in convincing the Indian leader to ratify the agreement so that it goes into force, Earnest said: “I don't know whether or not the President will be making that specific request.”
He said India has played a significant role in helping the international community come to an agreement, and the US expects New Delhi to continue playing an important role in the international community in making progress even beyond the agreement reached in December 2015.
India has set up a very ambitious renewable energy target of 175 GW operation capacity by March 2022.
