Kerry Calls For Stronger Ties With India in Defence, Energy and Trade
India-US look at better ties in defence, renewable energy, trade; vow to curb terrorism together.
The United States is looking at partnering with India and strengthening ties in defence, renewable energy, trade and even in curbing terrorism, said John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State. Kerry is in India and interacted with the media during a joint press briefing held at the end of the Indo-U.S. Strategic and Commercial Dialogue on Tuesday.
Broad-Based Co-operation
Both Kerry and Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj stressed on the need for stronger ties between the two nations, “Commercial ties between the two countries are important and India understands that. In last two years talks between India and U.S. have moved amazingly well. We are witnessing a moment of renewed relationship between the U.S. and India,” said Kerry, during the briefing. He also reaffirmed India as a major defence partner.
He added that the U.S. will fully cooperate with India to strengthen its solar mission and “upgrade its power grid.”
The U.S. is also working to bring technologies to help India meet its ambitious renewable energy target, Kerry said, and hoped that civil nuclear cooperation between India and the U.S. would take shape, which will help deliver electricity to tens and millions of Indians.
Accepting the challenges faced by both the countries in cyber security, Kerry said that he was looking forward to finalising a cyber framework against new threats to security, “In both security and economics we have room to expand trade and investments.”
The U.S. Secretary of State candidly said that India understands the consequences of inaction towards climate change. “Mutual cooperation (on climate change) will adequately meet Paris commitments,” he said.
India Raises Visa Issue
The Indian Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was also part of the briefing, said the two countries have taken into account suggestions made by the Indian and the U.S. CEO forums. “Under the Commercial track of the Strategic & Commercial Dialogue, Secretary Pritzker and I had extensive discussions on bilateral economic initiatives and reviewed the progress made since the last dialogue under the four work streams relating to infrastructure collaboration and smart cities, ease of doing business, innovation and entrepreneurship, and standards,” she said.
In light of several concerns raised by Indian CEOs regarding visa fee hike and other restrictions, the U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker informed the press about the decision to add ‘travel and tourism’ as a new work stream for future collaboration between the two countries.
“Looking at establishing a partnership in travel and tourism in 2017. We greatly value Indian companies that invest in the U.S. economy. If companies say they are being targeted we need to look into the issue. Changes to visa process are not limited to Indian nationals, it’s across countries,” said Pritzker.
Talk Against Terror
Taking a firm stand on curbing terrorism Kerry said, “The U.S. will not differentiate between good and bad terrorism. Terror is terror no matter where it comes from.”
Pointing out that she had briefed Kerry on the continuing problem of cross-border terrorism that India and larger regions face from Pakistan, Swaraj said, “There was a meeting of minds on the issue.”
During his short visit to India, John Kerry held bilateral talks separately with the Commerce Minister and the Indian and U.S. CEOs forums. Kerry will give a speech at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi on Wednesday followed by a visit to the Gandhi Smriti in the afternoon and his final visit to 7 Race Course Road, the Prime Minister’s residence, before he returns to the U.S.