President Barack Obama welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House for their seventh meeting since Modi took office in 2014, underscoring the warm relationship between the leaders and the world’s two largest democracies.
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Meanwhile, the MTCR chair has now begun the next stage of formalities for India, which require each of the 34 member countries to send a “diplomatic note” stating formally that they accept India’s membership.
Obama and Modi, he said did talk about defence cooperation including in the field of “Make in India” and sharing of military technology.
“Only some procedural formalities remain before India becomes member of #MTCR”, Roald Naess, Norwegian Ambassador to Ireland, tweeted.
India also makes a supersonic cruise missile, the BrahMos, in a joint venture with Russian Federation.
India is all set to become member of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as all hurdles related to its membership have been cleared, the U.S. has said.
Both countries hope to sell the technology to third-party countries.
“There was a silent procedure that ended just, which passed successfully indicating that there is consensus for India to join the MTCR”, the senior administration official said requesting anonymity.
India and the United States today announced the setting up of two financial assistance programmes worth Dollars 60 million for supporting India’s much-needed clean energy initiatives including in solar power and other renewables.
The development comes as India is expanding its diplomatic outreach and seeking support for its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
China has been opposing India’s bid, arguing that it is not a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He met with members of the American business community hours after his meeting with US President Barack Obama.
Earnest said that the schedule that was laid out for the President and the Prime Minister was to give them the opportunity to meet privately in the Oval Office, and then to spend some time talking with the press about their meeting.
Significantly, the U.S. also committed itself to equating the Pathankot attack to the 26/11 terror strike in terms of ensuring punishment to perpetrators based in Pakistan.
USA business groups have expressed frustration about the lack of progress on the sensitive issue of intellectual property rights and have urged Modi and his government to ramp up protections that they say would attract more foreign investment and boost India’s economic growth.
Six pacts, including one on exchange of screening of terror information, besides two other documents were signed after the talks that mainly covered issues like terrorism, clean energy, climate change, defence, regional security, cyber security, economic ties and people-to-people contacts.
The joint statement said India and the US Export-Import Bank were working to complete a financing package for the project to build six Westinghouse 1000 nuclear reactors, the culmination of some 10 years of work to resolve civil nuclear issues.
Asked if Westinghouse was satisfied with the provisions on liability, Boone said great progress had been made, but Westinghouse would “continue to monitor and support the efforts of the Indian government to provide a solution”.
Obama underlined that India needs technology, which is critical for its progress and prosperity.
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The two leaders also agreed on a Dollars 40 million US-India Catalytic Solar Finance Programme, which would be equally supported by the United States and India.
