Praising the US for turning barriers into bridges of partnership, he said that America had stood with India when the support was needed the most, like when terrorists attacked Mumbai in November 2008 and in other economic endeavours as well. The PM’s ongoing visit to the US is significant for India’s growing role in world affairs, as Modi is not only trying to consolidate the progress in the India-US relationship, but also lay the groundwork for relations with the next regime in Washington. He also pointed to the International Solar Alliance, an initiative that launched at the COP-21 negotiations in Paris in December, as a positive example.
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Mr. Modi said the ties of commerce and investment between the two nations are flourishing and India trades more with the US than with any other nation. Indian Prime Minister India Narendra Modi looks over his shoulder to speak with an aide during his meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 7, 2016. They also vowed to reduce production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons, a greenhouse gas.
Environmental groups had hoped Modi would say that India was ready to ratify the agreement during his Washington trip to cross that 55 percent threshold.
The United States and India are the second and third largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, respectively. “India would like to migrate on flat deck design” in construction of its next carrier, he said, and the systems being installed on the Ford have “some advantages in terms of weight of the aircraft and others”.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said he thought it was an “optimistic, forward-looking speech”, and was impressed by the prime minister’s commitment to working on shared security interests.
On June 6, Switzerland, an important member of the NSG, extended support to India’s membership in the group during Modi’s stopover in Geneva en route to the USA from Qatar.
He said these ideas should focus “not just on creating wealth but also creating value for our societies; not just on immediate gains but also long term benefits; not just on sharing best practices but also shaping partnerships; and not just on building a bright future for our peoples, but in being a bridge to a more united, humane and prosperous world”.
He called for an increased global reliance on renewable energy and praised the United States for supporting India’s efforts to create a solar alliance announced at the Paris climate summit a year ago.
“This has been further strengthened in my two day’s visit to the US”, Modi said at the reception, attended by top American lawmakers and select members of the Indian-American community.
In an address to the US Congress, Modi accused the “neighbour” of harbouring and nurturing terrorism. “The genius of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was nurtured in the years he spent at the Columbia University a century ago”, the Prime Minister said.
Addressing a joint sitting of the US Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday touched upon various issues including terrorism, yoga, economy, Indo-US strategic ties and civil nuclear cooperation.
Modi tacked on Switzerland and Mexico as extra stops on a five-country tour to seek their support on joining the NSG.
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Congressman Ami Bera, the only Indian-American lawmaker in the US House of Representatives said he was proud of the Prime Minister.
