PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump emphasized the strong relationship between the two nations. Their high-profile meeting in Washington underscored their commitment to freedom, human rights, the rule of law, and pluralism, highlighting the vibrant alliance between the countries.
The two leaders launched a new initiative, the US-India COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology for the 21st Century).
Advancing Defence Cooperation
The leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to a dynamic defense partnership that spans multiple domains.
As part of this effort, they announced plans to sign a new ten-year framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership later this year. This framework will further integrate US-origin defense items into India’s military inventory, including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and surveillance systems.
The leaders launched the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) to promote partnerships and co-production in advanced technologies, including autonomous systems and AI-enabled countermeasures. They also committed to elevating military cooperation in areas such as air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace through joint exercises, training, and intelligence-sharing.
Boosting Trade & Investment Between India & US
The leaders announced an ambitious trade goal, Mission 500, aimed at doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. To achieve this, they pledged to negotiate a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025, focusing on creating fair trade terms, reducing barriers, and enhancing market access.
Both leaders welcomed recent measures to lower tariffs on US products like bourbon, motorcycles, and ICT goods, as well as actions to enhance access to US agricultural exports.
They also discussed the importance of mutual investments, highlighting India’s ongoing $7.35 billion investments in the US, which support thousands of jobs in critical sectors like aluminum, steel, and pharmaceuticals.
US-India Energy Security Partnership
Energy security emerged as a key focus, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to the US-India Energy Security Partnership. The leaders emphasized the importance of enhancing energy production, including oil, gas, and civil nuclear energy, and discussed strategies for securing affordable and reliable energy for their citizens.
Trump and Modi also agreed to advance the 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement to enable large-scale US-designed nuclear reactors in India. They expressed strong support for India’s membership in the International Energy Agency (IEA) and committed to expanding energy trade between the two countries.
Two Leaders Announce US-India TRUST
Recognizing the importance of technological leadership, the two leaders announced the launch of the US-India TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology) initiative. This initiative will focus on advancing critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and quantum computing, with an emphasis on protecting sensitive technologies.
The leaders also revealed plans to accelerate AI infrastructure development in India, to overcome barriers to financing and scale AI systems. Additionally, India and the US will collaborate on next-generation data centers and innovations in AI applications to solve societal challenges.
Counterterrorism & Global Security
Terrorism and security threats were major topics of discussion. The leaders committed to strengthening their cooperation to combat terrorism from groups such as Al-Qa’ida, ISIS, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. Both countries also pledged to collaborate in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to take action against terrorist groups operating in South Asia.
Furthermore, the US announced the approval of the extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India, in a significant move to bring justice to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Also Read: Trump Gifts Signed Copy Of His Book To PM Modi, Calls Him ‘Great’ During White House Meeting
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