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Anti-terrorism to trade: Narendra Modi, Barack Obama join hands for ‘model’ partnership

Aimed at boosting their “strategic partnership” — now being re-christened as a “defining partnership” — to new levels, India and the United States on Tuesday announced a slew of concrete steps towards collaborating on building a counter-terror platform — a major step forward from the earlier task force system.
Even before the joint statement was announced, following the 90-minute meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in its briefing, stated that the two countries had agreed to make “joint and concerted” efforts in this direction — including dismantling of “safe havens”, and terrorist and criminal networks.
It was stated that India and the US would now work together to target the financial and tactical support for the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, al-Qaeda, Haqqani network and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. The statement is significant as Dawood is widely believed to be in Pakistan, and the Haqqani network, which has been active along the Afghanistan border, has been working against both Indian and US interests.

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Modi and Obama also sought resolution of key issues including the civil nuclear deal. “We are serious about resolution of issues on both sides to enable the civil nuclear energy cooperation to take off,” said Modi. He also used the opportunity to invite Obama to India.

Among the other key takeaways from the meeting are: a renewed 10-year defence partnership, US collaboration for developing the cities of Allahabad, Ajmer and Visakhapatnam, and for a National Defence University. Describing America as an “integral part” of his government’s “Look East, Link West” policy, Modi listed the priority areas of collaboration: energy security, cooperation in counter-terrorism and climate change. On the World Trade Organisation issue, he said while India supports trade facilitation, its concerns on food security should also be addressed.
The two countries also announced a new platform to facilitate infrastructure projects. This, it was said, would be instrumental in assisting new portfolio investments as well as the inflow of FDI.
Earlier, in their vision statement “Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go” on Monday, Modi and Obama underlined that “our strategic partnership… will combat terrorist threats and keep our homelands and citizens safe from attacks, while we respond expeditiously to humanitarian disasters and crises”.
The statement, issued ahead of a private dinner hosted by Obama for Modi, supported “an open and inclusive rules-based global order, in which India assumes greater multilateral responsibility, including in a reformed United Nations Security Council. At the United Nations and beyond, our close coordination will lead to a more secure and just world”.
Earlier, before he left New York for Washington, Modi told the Council for Foreign Relations that “there is a need to take the challenge of terrorism seriously. It’s sad that many countries could not earlier understand the ugly face of terrorism which is an enemy of humanity”. Terrorism, her said, could not be measured on the scale of political plus and minus. “The world will have to speak in one voice against terrorism.” The vision statement, released by White House, promised a model: “We have a vision that the United States and India will have a transformative relationship as trusted partners in the 21st century. Our partnership will be a model for the rest of the world.” It said, “Our strategic partnership is a joint endeavor for prosperity and peace. Through intense consultations, joint exercises, and shared technology, our security cooperation will make the region and the world safe and secure. Together, we will combat terrorist threats and keep our homelands and citizens safe from attacks, while we respond expeditiously to humanitarian disasters and crises. We will prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and remain committed to reducing the salience of nuclear weapons, while promoting universal, verifiable, and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament.” - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/anti-terror-to-trade-modi-obama-join-hands-for-model-partnership/2/#sthash.3HOFBx5T.dpuf
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