“Now terrorists have explained terrorism to them so we don’t have to”, Modi said at a community reception at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The US-India Business Council (USIBC) president Mukesh Aghi said the CEOs praised the reforms being undertaken by the Prime Minister and underscore his efforts to make India a business-friendly destination.
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“The meeting between the two leaders is very significant, obviously, because the new administration’s policies towards Asia and particularly India, are not very clear”, said foreign policy specialist Sujit Datta at New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University.
“Last year, the U.S. and India signed a historic defence agreement that paves the way for greater strategic and regional cooperation”, Schweikert said. Most American reporting has been on the robust trade and defense relations between India and the United States which has bi-partisan support.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took at dig at the UPA regime saying, “In three years, there has not been one stain on my government”. They will begin with a one-on-one interaction, then lead a bilateral meeting for about an hour, after which both leaders will read press statements. He will be the first world leader to have dinner with Trump in the White House. White House official Kenneth Juster will soon be named USA ambassador to India, a choice welcomed in New Delhi.
Despite the obvious opportunity, the relationship is tense and the talks may not be easy. “But he can help Trump to think of India as an opportunity rather than as a problem”, said Tellis, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
In the lead up to their meeting, the Washington Post didn’t carry any articles about Modi, but did have one about the Muslim 16-year-old thrashed to death on a train by a Hindu mob who were under the impression the kid was a “beef-eater, an anti-national, a Pakistani”.
“They are both innovators, they are both businessmen, they are committed to bringing greater prosperity to their people and thinking of innovative ways to do that”. Ahead of the meeting, Trump tweeted Saturday that he was looking forward to discussing strategic issues with a “true friend”. According to reports the leaders would “seek common ground” on the issue.
Earlier in the day, in a break from protocol, Modi was received at the airport here by Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva.
The White House official, who briefed on background, emphasised the potential of defence deals to create jobs in America.
“The transformation of India presents abundant commercial and investment opportunities for American businesses. The startups here is an exciting space that blends youth, idea, technology, innovation and creativity to generate value and wealth for the benefit of the society”, he said.
The American media has also not dwelt too much on India-Pakistan relationship, Kashmir situation or cow vigilantism that has dominated the news cycle in India.
While progress is expected in defense trade and cooperation, there are frictions elsewhere.
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India continues to be a big beneficiary of this popular visa program, a key way Indian IT talent makes its way to the U.S.to work for Silicon Valley’s biggest firms, such as Apple, Google and Accenture, among others.
