Biden, PM Modi vow to extend ties in new domains; appreciate progress made in defence, hi-tech

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, September 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President Joe Biden vowed to extend bilateral ties in newerdomains andexpressed appreciation for the substantial progress underway to implement the wide-ranging decisions taken by them at their last interaction less than three months back in June.

In a joint statement issued at the end of their meeting at the PM’s Office on Friday, they resolved todeepen and diversify the India-US defence partnership through expanded cooperation in new and emerging domains such as space and AI, and accelerated defence industrial collaboration.

Here to attend the G20 Summit, Biden lauded India’s Presidency and said it demonstrated how the G20 as a forum is delivering important outcomes. He also congratulated PM Modi, the scientists and engineers on Chandrayaan-3’s historic landing at the south polar region of the Moon, as well as the successful launch of India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1.

India and the US will now mount a joint effort to the International Space Station next year and are continuing efforts to finalise a strategic framework for human space flight cooperation by the end of this year.

The Joint Statement skirted the Ukraine conflict although the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has accompanied Biden and will be pressing for more countries to join in sanctions against Russia.

But they said that therelationshipis strengthened by the “shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, inclusion, pluralism, and equal opportunities for all citizens.”’

The Joint Statement hadlittle political content with the most important being that Biden will visit India next year for the Quad Leaders’ Summit and the leaders’ backing for freedom of navigation. Biden also reaffirmed his support for a permanent seat for India in the UN Security Council andwelcomed India’s candidature for the UNSC non-permanent seat in 2028-29.

Turning to technology partnerships, which formed the bulk of the Joint Statement, the two leaders felt it is playing a “defining role” in their strategic ties especially through the NSAs-led Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

They were also satisfied over the building of resilient global semiconductor supply chains and noted that Microchip Tech will invest about $ 300 million and Advanced Micro Device $ 400 million in India while Micron, LAM Research, and Applied Materials are implementing the announcements made during PM Modi’s State Visit to the US in June.

A substantial part of the Joint Statement covered the defence industrial ecosystems and touched on US Congressional Notification approving tech transfer and manufacturing of GE jet engines in India, a second Master Ship Repair Agreement, Letter of Request from the Ministry of Defence to procure 31 highly advanced drones and intensified talks on next generation small modular reactor technologies.

The two leaders also welcomed the growing bilateral cooperation in cancer research, prevention, control, and management, and looked forward to the launch of the India-US Cancer Dialogue in November. It will be preceded by the US-India Health Dialogue in October. .