New York: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today thanked US President Barack Obama for his support for India’s permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council ( UNSC).
“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,” Prime Minister Modi told the media in the joint press briefing with the US President.
The Prime Minister said that he deeply values the US President’s friendship and vision and commitment for the relationship between the two countries.
“We have achieved significant progress in our bilateral cooperation and international partnership. I was in Silicon Valley over the weekend. I experienced the strength of American innovation and enterprise that provide the foundation of American success,” said Prime Minister Modi.
“I also saw the driving force of our relationship – youth, technology and innovation; and, the natural partnerships of Indian and Americans in advancing human progress. California also reminds us that India and the United States are part of the dynamic Asia Pacific Region. Amid the problems that the world faces today and the global challenges that we see ahead, our partnership is of great significance for us and our world,” he added.
He said, “We can apply innovation and technology for achieving Sustainable Development Goals, including combating climate change and conserving nature.”
Prime Minister Modi further said that they both share an uncompromising commitment on climate change, without affecting the ability to meet the development aspirations of humanity.
“We have both set ambitious national agendas. In India, our measures include not just a plan to add 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, but a development strategy that will enable us 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,” said Prime Minister Modi.
“Our extraordinary bilateral partnership in the energy sector focuses on clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi also thanked President Obama for the positive response to his call for a global public partnership for developing affordable clean energy sources that will enable faster adoption of clean energy across the world.
“We should work together to advance that goal. And, it is equally important to develop mechanisms to ensure that the affordable also become accessible to those who need it the most,” Prime Minister Modi said.
“We look forward to comprehensive and concrete outcome in Paris with a positive agenda on combating climate change, which also focuses on access to finance and technology for the developing world, especially the poor countries and small island states,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi said the partnership between India and the United States addresses a broad range of strategic and security concerns.
“Our defence cooperation, including defence trade and training, is expanding. As existing terrorism threats grow and new ones emerge, we have resolved to further deepen cooperation on counter terrorism and radicalism. We have just had a successful cyber security dialogue,” Prime Minister Modi said.
“We have agreed to further strengthen our consultation and cooperation on helping the Afghan people combat terrorism and build a peaceful, stable and prosperous future of their nation,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi 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. To further increase our strategic engagement in the region, I look forward to working with the U.S. for India’s early membership of Asian Pacific Economic Community,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi pointed out that the economic partnership between both sides is a key driver of the relationship.
“I have had 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. We will also continue to work towards a stronger bilateral framework of economic cooperation, including the Bilateral Investment Treaty and Totalisation Agreement,” Prime Minister Modi said.
“This meeting and my engagements in the U.S. demonstrate the extraordinary depth and diversity of our relationship. Our meeting today was very productive in advancing some of our immediate priorities as also our broader strategic partnership,” he added.
ANI