Kerry also cited cyber-security and energy as areas where both India and United States could expand cooperation.
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“It couldn’t come at a more important moment”.
The landmark India-US military logistics agreement+ in Washington was complemented by a strategic confluence in Delhi, where foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and US secretary of state John Kerry agreed to boost counterterrorism cooperation.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said she will look into India’s concerns over the hike in visa fees for professionals.
Vikas Swarup, India’s External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson said, the dialogue is most broad mechanism for meeting between two countries, he also said co-chairs will be also have an interaction with a high-level, inter-agency allocation from both sides.
Kerry described the talks with India as “constructive” and said the sides had made headway on a variety of issues, including cyber-security and expanded cooperation on terrorist screening.
The “intensity of the bilateral relationship is unprecedented”, said India’s external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, as she initiated the dialogue.
“We agreed that nations must not maintain double standards, such as the categorisation of good and bad terrorists, nor act as sanctuaries and safe havens for terrorist organisations”, she said.
Ms Swaraj said, “Secretary Kerry and I discussed at length the issue of terrorism, which is the key challenge to the worldwide community, and the foremost threat to global peace and security”.
United States today assured India of “doing more” by providing it finances for innovative renewable energy projects while asserting that it is the “only way” of meeting the challenge of climate change. In particular, India is seeking justice for a 2008 terror attack in Mumbai that killed 172 people, and wounded more than 300.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said in New Delhi on Wednesday Pakistan must push harder against groups engaged with extremists, as tension between Pakistan and India rises amid unrest in Kashmir.
In response to a query about the India-US-Afghanistan trilateral meet, “It is in Indian and Pakistan interest to have a peaceful and stable Afghanistan…. There can not be good terrorists or bad terrorists”. Asserting that India’s enhanced global role was in mutual interest, she said, “It is in this context, we look forward to continue working closely with the USA to secure our membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and permanent membership of the UN Security Council”.
Kerry and Swaraj also signed a cyber framework in an effort to reduce cyber crime and improve coordination among the law enforcement agencies, with the United States reaffirming India as a major cyber partner. Talks will happen when they address issues like Pathankot attack.
Kerry arrived in New Delhi on Monday to participate in the second Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.
Both the nations have also agreed to cooperate more in space technology and making it easier for Indian travellers to enter US. However, under the Modi government, India has changed its policy of giving military aid to Afghanistan, much to the discomfort of Pakistan.
“We have to respect rights of all our citizens irrespective of creed and allow them to protest in peace without fear that they will be jailed for speaking, said Kerry”. However, in recent years, “we have moved amazingly” and there has been no sense of that struggle.
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She announced that next year’s Global Entrepreneurship Summit would be held in India and it would be co-hosted by the US.
