During the meeting, Obama also praised Modi’s vision of entrepreneurship and innovation, which he said would be “very important for a country like India”.
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Pakistan’s description of Burhan Wani, who India says belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen, as “a Kashmiri leader” and a “martyr” after he was killed by Indian security forces in Kashmir on July 8, riled the Indian government.
Separately Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has at a conference in Islamabad asserted that Pakistan’s nuclear assets are safe from terrorists.
In his ASEAN-India Summit speech, Modi mentioned that India’s strategic partnership with ASEAN covers security, economic & socio-cultural spheres.
China is involved in disputes with littoral countries of the region over the South China Sea particularly over the Spratly and Paracel groups of islands.
“India supports freedom of navigation, over flight, and unimpeded commerce, based on the principles of global law, as noted in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”, the Prime Minister said.
“As a state party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS”, he said. Modi said India and most countries in south Asia are pursuing a peaceful path to economic prosperity, except “one” neighbouring country of India’s.
Outlining India’s position on the South China Sea, the Indian PM stated India can share expertise and build partnerships for protection of marine resources, prevent environment degradation and tap blue economy.
While bringing up Pakistan and its policies on terror at worldwide forums like G20 and ASEAN can go a long way towards increasing pressure on India’s neighbour to reduce its proxy war, Modi also runs the risk of continuing to present India as part of the hyphenated India-Pakistan conundrum.
Thereafter, the first consignment of Canadian uranium reached India in December 2015 and the second consignment is expected by November this year, he said.
He also invited the ASEAN leadership to be the guests of honor at the International Buddhist Conclave to be held in India in October.
The 10-member Asean includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
At the East Asia Summit, he also had pull-asides with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
“Prime Minister Modi invited President Obama to visit India after he demits office”.
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On the other hand, President Barack Obama today told PM Modi said that U.S. “strongly supported” India’s NSG membership bid, as they discussed the immediate priorities in the strategic partnership, including deepening the civil nuclear cooperation and combating climate change on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit, their eighth in the last two years.
