NEW YORK, Sep 28:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met US President Barack Obama and discussed a host of issues, including stepping up economic engagement and climate change, during their third meeting in about a year.
Obama warmly received Modi by hugging him before their meeting, the third between them since May last year.
The meeting gave the two leaders an opportunity to build on the discussions they had in New Delhi in January when Obama travelled to India to attend the Republic Day Parade as its chief guest.
Modi arrived in the US last Wednesday on a six-day official visit during which he travelled to Silicon Valley and met top IT CEOs of the region and also addressed a meeting of some 18,000 Indian Americans in at the SAP Centre in San Jose.
Earlier in the day, Modi also held bilateral meetings with his British counterpart David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande.
They met last year during Modi’s US visit and then in January earlier this year.
The Modi-Obama meeting comes close on the heels of the conclusion of the inaugural Strategic and Commercial Dialogue between the US and India.
In the dialogue, India and the US today agreed to deepen cooperation in fighting terrorism and asked Pakistan to bring to justice the 2008 Mumbai attack perpetrators.
Ahead of the Obama-Modi meeting, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes had said, “We are deeply committed to strengthening the US-Indian relationship, building our economic and commercial ties, advancing our political and security cooperation in Asia and around the world.”
Rhodes said India was critical to a successful global effort to combat climate change and therefore the issue was important in bilateral discussions.
“The two leaders will certainly address their shared vision of how to approach the upcoming meetings in Paris,” he had said.
Modi said that in India, the measures include not just a plan to add 175 Giga Watts of renewable energy by 2022, but a development strategy that will enable the country to transition to a more sustainable energy mix.
“This is an exercise we are undertaking in the spirit of our culture and tradition, but also because of our commitment to the future of this planet,” he said.
I thanked President Obama for U.S. Support for India’s permanent membership of a reformed UN Security Council. I also sought U.S. Support to complete the reform process within a fixed time frame.
During the meeting, Obama reiterated US support to India’s permanent membership of the UNSC to which Modi thanked the President and sought US support to complete the reform process within a fixed time frame.
“I expressed our appreciation for continued US support for India’s membership of the international export control regimes within our targeted time frame,” Modi added.
The Prime Minister said the Indo-US partnership addresses a broad range of strategic and security concerns.
He said the two sides agreed to further strengthen consultation and cooperation on helping the Afghan people combat terrorism and build a peaceful, stable and prosperous future of their nation.
Modi said he also welcomed the progress in giving shape to the Joint Strategic Vision on Asia, Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions as also the joint engagement with regional partners like Japan. “This will also strengthen our maritime security cooperation,” he added.
“To further increase our strategic engagement in the region, I look forward to working with the US for India’s early membership of Asian Pacific Economic Community,” he said.
Referring to the economic partnership, Modi said it is a key driver of the relationship and mentioned his “excellent” meetings with business leaders in New York and San Jose. “I am very pleased with their confidence in India and value their constructive feedback and suggestions,” he said.
“We will also continue to work towards a stronger bilateral framework of economic cooperation, including the Bilateral Investment Treaty and Totalisation Agreement,” he said.
Modi said his meeting with Obama and other engagements in the US demonstrated the “extraordinary depth and diversity” of the relationship.
“Our meeting today was very productive in advancing some of our immediate priorities as also our broader strategic partnership,” the Indian Prime Minister said.
Hailing the partnership with India, Obama said it reflects the fact that the two of the largest democracies in the world have an opportunity to help and define a common set of principles that the UN believes in.
“We also had a chance to talk about trade and investment where our government and business leaders met again last week to forge new partnerships and create jobs and opportunities for Indians and Americans,” the US President said.
He welcomed Modi’s call to the Indian diaspora in the US, “which is very large and sucessful”, to contribute their talents to India’s progress.
He said India and the United States have found those principles that the governments are there to serve their people and to every one.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup later said “substantial progress” has been made between India and US strategic and commercial dialogue.
He said the two sides were working on Aircraft carrier technology.
Indian Ambassador to the US Arun Singh said talks on it are at an advance stage, with the two sides identifying specific projects to implement.
Swarup also noted that the meeting between Modi and Obama took place on a day India launched four US satellites, which reflected the kind of relationship the two countries have.
He said Obama described India and US as natural partners.
On terrorism front, Modi said it is a global phenomenon and no country can be immune to it.
He told Obama that time has come for the international community to come out in strong and united manner against the menace.
To a question, Swarup said there was a mention of Pakistan in the context of terrorism.
The Kashmir issue also came up and there was a broad acknowledgement that it is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, the spokesman said.
During Modi’s bilateral with Hollande, they had a surprise visitor in Bill Gates, who was not present at the meeting Modi had with technology leaders in San Jose over the weekend.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said Gates dropped by to meet the Prime Minister.
Modi said that the 21st century is India’s century and attributed the sudden change in India’s fortune to the commitment, strength and pledge of the 125 crore people of the country.
“For some time now, people are saying that the 21st century is India’s century,” Modi thundered in an address to a strong crowd of 18,500 Indian-Americans at the SAP Center in San Jose, which is the hub of Silicon Valley.
Asserting that he is giving every minute of his life in the service of the nation, Modi said he would live and die for the country.
Modi said that in the past 16 months, world’s perception about India has changed dramatically. The world is looking at India with a new vision and aspiration.
He attributed this change to the commitment, strength and pledge of the 125 crore people of the country.
Modi said he is confident of India’s success because 65 per cent of the population of the country are of less than 35 years – 800 million.
“I can tell you with confidence that this country will not remain behind,” he said during his speech, which was marked with several round of thunderous applause.
Modi said India is in a strong position today.
In just 15 months, India has scaled new height, has attained economic stability. In the past six months almost all rating agency have said in one voice that India is the fastest growing economy in large countries, he said.
Prime Minister Modi said that no one ever thought that brain drain can become brain gain.
“This is actually brain deposit,” he asserted, adding that it would serve its motherland at an appropriate time.
“Now it is the time that every Indian can show people their strength,” he said in his hour-long speech.
Modi recollected the contribution of the Gadar party in San Francisco in India’s independence movement.
California has had a historic relationship and contribution in India’s development, he said.
“Today is September 27 here and in India it is September 28. September 28 is the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh. I salute the martyr,” Modi said and asked the audience to chant with him Veer Bhagat Singh Amar Rahe.
“I am meeting Indian American a year after the Madison Square Garden event in New York. I am coming to California after 25 years. A lot has changed. Many new faces that I see. I can see here India’s vibrancy here,” he said.
Modi congratulated Indian-Americans for the place of pride they came created for themselves among the people of Californians.
The world has changed its impression about India because of your talent in computers. With your talent, commitment, innovations you are forcing the world to change.
If they do not change their view about India, they would become irrelevant in the 21st century he said.
On his ambitious Digital India programme, Modi said his mission is JAM – Jan Dhan financial inclusion program, Aadhar unique identity card and Mobile Governance.
In just 100 days, 18 crores new bank accounts were opened, which deposited Rs 32,000 crores in the bank, he said.
There is new movement in India to provide unique identification to every citizens of India. And finally mobile governance, on which work is in full swing, he said.
All these, he said, have resulted in reduction in corruption, saving hundreds and thousands of crores to the country’s exchequer.
The Prime Minister said that today the world is facing two biggest challenges of terrorism and global warming.
“This can be successfully addressed with firm commitment and co-operation with the people of the world,” he said.
He rued that even today the United Nations has no definition of terrorism.
If it has taken the UN 15 years to define terrorism, how long will it take to fight terrorism, he asked.
Ridiculing the concept of good and bad terrorism, Modi said terrorism is terrorism.
“There is no good terrorism and bad terrorism,” he said.
“India has been suffering from terrorism for 40 years. All human forces should come together against terrorism. There is need for an unity against terrorism. Only then there can be peace in the world,” he said.
“India is a peace loving country. It is the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Buddha. It is the land of peace and ahimsa,” he said.
Modi said he would raise the issue of terrorism again at the United Nations tomorrow. He is scheduled to address a UN Peacekeeping Summit convened by US President Barack Obama.
At the top of the event, he was greeted by a number of US lawmakers.
Among the Congressmen who attended the event were Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Ed Royce, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Congressmen Ami Bera and George Holding, two co-chairs of the influential Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, were also there. Among other lawmakers include Loretta Sanchez, Eric Swalwell, Mike Honda, Tulsi Gabbard and Jim McDermott.
Devoting the last phase of his speech at the SAP Centre on the fight against terrorism, Modi rued that so far the international community – the UN in particular – have not even been able to have a definition of terrorism or identify who can be called a terrorist.
Observing that India has been a victim of terrorism for the past 40 years, Modi said the West and many other countries woke up to the menace of terrorism only after bomb blasts or terror attacks in their nation.
“We cannot let 21st century to be stained with terrorism,” Modi said, adding that he would be raising the issue again before the United Nations tomorrow when he is scheduled to address a UN Peacekeeping Summit.
“The world has to stand united in tackling terrorism,” he said.
“Terrorism is Terrorism, there is no difference between good terrorism and bad terrorism,” he said.
“We cannot waste time in defining ‘terrorism’,” he said, adding that India is the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Buddha who preached peace and non-violence to the world.
“The world has to realise that terrorism can hit anyone at anyplace, and it is the world’s responsibility to recognize it and unite against terrorism,” the Prime Minister said in an unusual aggressive speech on terrorism.
Several top American lawmakers were present on the occasion.
Lamenting that the UN has been unable to define terrorism in 70 years, Modi said if it takes so long in doing so, then how many years will be required to deal with the menace.
“We put pressure on the UN. The UN is celebrating its 70th anniversary but till now it has not been able to arrive at a definition for terrorism. If defining it takes so much time, then how many years will it take to to tackle terrorism,” Modi said in his speech at the SAP Centre here.
It is the UN’s responsibility to spell out clearly who it considers a terrorist so that the international community can chart out its path to usher in peace, he said.
“At a time when we are observing the 70th anniversary of the UN, it is the world body’s responsibility to come out in clear terms who it considers a terrorist and who is on the side of humanity. Once it has to be made clear so that the world can decide which path it should follow and only then peace will prevail,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister said he was hopeful that the UN will not be able to further delay a decision on such a serious issue.
“Humanist forces in the world will have to put pressure so that it is decided in black and white what is terrorism. Since there is no definition, talk about good terrorism and bad terrorism is going on. We cannot protect humanity with this good and bad terrorism,” Modi said, adding, “terrorism is terrorism”.
Observing that India has been a victim of terrorism for the past 40 years, Modi said the West and many other countries woke up to the menace of terrorism only after they faced bomb blasts or terror attacks.
“We cannot let 21st century to be stained with terrorism,” Modi said, adding, “the world has to stand united in tackling terrorism.”
Noting that India is the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Buddha who preached peace and non-violence to the world, he said, “the world has to realise that terrorism can hit anyone at anyplace, and it is the world’s responsibility to recognise it and unite against terrorism.”
Indian diaspora and several top American lawmakers were present on the occasion.
In a veiled attack on UPA regime on corruption and taking a swipe at the Congress President’s son-in-law Robert Vadra, Modi said there were allegations of politicians and their families making crores of rupees while his government has no graft charge.
“In our country it doesn’t take much for allegations to come up against politicians… Someone made 50 crores, someone’s son made 250 crores, (someone’s) daughter made 500 crores, (someone’s) damaad (son-in-law) made 1000 crores,” Modi said.
Some cousins took contracts and some got flats in the past, he said while addressing the Indian community at the packed SAP Centre in San Jose, California.
Dramatically pausing after saying “damaad”, Modi went on to assert that there are no allegations of corruption against his government.
“Aren’t you sick of all of this? Aren’t you angry? My countrymen, I am standing in your midst. Is there any allegation against me?” he asked as the audience responded back with a “No”.
While Modi’s reference to sons and daughters of politicians being corrupt is seen as a reference to culture of corruption in the country, the reference to son-in-law is seen as a barb at alleged land deals entered into by Vadra with the some state governments.
Meanwhile, India today signed a nearly USD 3 billion deal for purchase of 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers with American aviation giant Boeing and the US Government.
The first helicopter is likely to be handed over to India in the next three to four years.
“The contract for purchase of 22 Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters were signed here today,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said.
The contract has a clause to place follow-on orders for 11 more Apaches and seven extra Chinooks.
The helicopter deal has survived over 10 price validity extensions from the American side with the last one being for a month as desired by India.
While the Chinook helicopter deal is a direct one with the US firm, the one for Apache is a hybrid.
A part of the Apache deal was signed with Boeing for the helicopter and the other with the US Government, under Foreign Military Sales route, for its weapons, radars and electronic warfare suites.
Sources said the total cost of the contract will be around USD 3 billion.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had last week said that the contract, which will have a 30 per cent offset clause, will bring in business worth about USD 1 billion for the Indian defence industry.
Offset policy was first introduced as part of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), 2005, under which a foreign company has to invest back a portion of the deal into India.
The Cabinet Committee on Security had on September 22 cleared the deal which had been hanging since 2013 when the cost negotiations were completed.
Many in the defence sector had expected the deal to be signed during the visit of US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter in June this year.
The US has been pushing for this contract as it will further bolster American presence in the burgeoning defence market of India.
American companies have over the last decade bagged defence contracts from India worth around USD 10 billion, including for aircraft like P-8I maritime surveillance planes, C-130J ‘Super Hercules’ and C-17 Globemaster-III in the transport category.
Both platforms, which have been in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, had beaten off competition from Russia which had offered its Mi-28N Night Hunter and Mi-26 heavy-lift copters.
The 22 Apache AH 64D Longbow helicopters are one of the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, featuring all-weather and night-fighting features, ability to track upto 128 targets in less than a minute and engage with 16, besides stealth characteristics, advanced sensors and beyond visual range missiles.
India will also be acquiring Hellfire missiles and rockets. (PTI)
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