Dear all,
Welcome & pl. read on...
In a glow of bonhomie, U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi unveiled plans to unlock billions of dollars in nuclear
trade and to deepen defence ties, steps they hope will establish an enduring
strategic partnership.
The two countries reached an understanding on two issues that, despite a
groundbreaking 2006 agreement, had stopped U.S. companies from setting up
reactors in India and had become one of the major irritants in bilateral
relations.
"We are committed to moving towards full implementation," Obama told a joint
news conference with Modi. "This is an important step that shows how we can work
together to elevate our relationship."
The new deal resolved differences over the liability of suppliers to India in
the event of a nuclear accident and U.S. demands on tracking the whereabouts of
material supplied to the country, U.S. ambassador to India Richard Verma told
reporters.
"Ultimately it's up to the companies to go forward, but the two governments
came to an understanding," he added.
Signalling warmth and determination to take ties to a higher level, Modi
broke with protocol to meet and bear-hug Obama as he landed in New Delhi, then
referred to him as Barack. It was a remarkable spectacle, given that a year ago
Modi was persona non grata in Washington and was denied a visa to the United
States.
Between a working lunch that included kebabs made with lotus stem, figs and
spices and an evening banquet where Obama spoke a smattering of Hindi, the two
leaders got down to talks.
They emerged with a 10-year framework for defence ties and deals on
cooperation that included the joint production of drone aircraft and equipment
for Lockheed Martin Corp's C-130 military transport plane.
Other deals ranged from an Obama-Modi hotline -- India's first at a
leadership level -- to financing initiatives aimed at helping India use
renewable energy to lower carbon intensity.
But Modi cautioned that work was still needed to create a solid partnership
between the world's two largest democracies.
"We have to convert a good start into lasting progress. This requires
translating our vision into sustained action and concrete achievements," he
said, standing next to Obama.
On Monday, Obama will be the first U.S. president to attend India's Republic
Day parade, an annual show of military might long associated with the
anti-Americanism of the Cold War. He will also host a radio show with
Modi.
His presence at the parade at Modi's personal invitation marks the latest
upturn in a roller-coaster bilateral relationship that just a year ago was in
tatters.
Up to 40,000 security personnel have been deployed for the visit and 15,000
new closed-circuit surveillance cameras have been installed in the capital,
according to media reports.
NEW VITALITY
The United States views India as a vast market and potential counterweight in
Asia to a more assertive China, but has frequently been frustrated with the slow
pace of New Delhi's economic reforms and unwillingness to side with Washington
in international affairs.
Elected last May, Modi has injected a new vitality into the economy and
foreign relations and, to Washington's delight, has begun pushing back against
China across Asia.
In a veiled reference to China, the leaders reiterated the "importance of
safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight
throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea". They also called for
the peaceful resolution of territorial conflicts.
Obama will depart slightly early from India to travel to Saudi Arabia
following the death of King Abdullah, skipping a planned visit to the Taj
Mahal.
Like Obama, Modi rose from modest origins to break into a political elite
dominated by powerful families. Aides say the two men bonded in Washington in
September when Obama took Modi to the memorial of Martin Luther King, whose
rights struggle was inspired by India's Mahatma Gandhi.
On Sunday, the two leaders talked outside over tea in an elegant garden.
Modi, who sold tea on a railway platform as a child, poured a cup for
Obama.
The "chemistry" they describe is striking because Modi's politics is
considerably to the right of Obama's and because he was banned from visiting the
United States for nearly a decade after deadly Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat.
Obama, the first sitting U.S. president to visit India twice, also enjoyed a
close friendship with Modi's predecessor Manmohan Singh, who staked his
premiership on the controversial nuclear deal that made India the sixth
"legitimate" atomic power and marked a high point in Indo-U.S.
relations.
The deal failed to deliver on a promise of business for U.S. companies
because of India's reluctance to shield suppliers from liability, a deviation
from international norms that reflects the memory of the Bhopal industrial
disaster.
With regards,
M.K.Pachraiya
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