India, US pledge to work jointly for future of Asia
MODITRUMP MEET Leaders resolve to scale up relations beyond bilateral ties
MANILA:Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday pitched a vision of India and the US working together in Asia and the rest of the world during talks with President Donald Trump.
Modi’s remarks reflected the growing convergence on strategic issues between the two sides at a time when India, Australia, Japan and the US have stepped up efforts to formalise a quadrilateral alliance aimed at keeping the Indo-Pacific region free, open and inclusive.
The two leaders met on the margins of the Asean Summit in the Philippines a day after officials of the four countries held talks on the Quad, as the grouping is being referred to. The Quad is being seen a counter-balance to China, which responded on Monday by saying such ties should not be “directed at a third party”.
In brief remarks in Hindi before his formal talks with Trump, Modi said India-US rela- tions were very rapidly becoming “deeper and comprehensive”.
“You must also feel that India-US relations, while rising above the interests of India and the US, we can work together for the future of Asia and (see) what we can do for mankind…There are many issues on which we are working together,” Modi said.
“I would like to assure you that whatever expectations the world has of India, and whatever expectation the US has, India has made all-out efforts to fulfil those expectations and it will continue to do so,” he added.
Foreign secretary S Jaishankar described the 45-minute meeting, the third between Modi and Trump, as a “cordial, constructive and very comfortable.”
A White House statement said the leaders had discussed their “shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region”.