Modi, Obama bond over business, talk deeper ties
SECOND MEETING PM tells US Prez he hopes for a deal on stalled WTO pact soon
WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama touted the potential for deeper economic collaboration between the world’s two largest democracies on Tuesday, while seeking to address concerns that they have grown apart.
Following an Oval Office meeting, Obama praised Modi for his energetic approach to addressing India’s challenges since taking office in May. He singled out in particular the PM’s focus on addressing “the needs of the poorest of the poor,” as well as making India a source of peace and stability in the region.
Modi said the US and India had a multitude of common economic priorities and pressed Obama to make it easier for Indian services companies to access American markets.
“We already have the foundation of a strong partnership,” Modi said. “We now have to revive the momentum and ensure we get the best out of it for our people and the world.”
Emphasising that India supports trade facilitation, Modi told Obama that a solution must be found to its concerns over food security at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
“We had an open discussion on the WTO issue. We support trade facilitation but a solution that takes care of our food security must be found,” the Prime Minister said.
India had taken a tough stand over food security at the WTO talks in Geneva in July, refusing to ratify the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) without any concrete movement in finding a permanent solution to its public food stock-holding issue for food security purposes.
On the eve of Tuesday’s talks, Obama hosted Modi for a private working dinner at the White House — despite the fact that the latter was fasting.
Typically, visiting heads of state spend just a portion of a day at the White House meeting with the President and other US leaders. The rare second day of attention from Obama underscored the White House’s desire to give a warm welcome to a man once barred from even entering the country.
Following their Oval Office meeting, Obama and Modi travelled together to the Martin Luther King Jr memorial on the National Mall, a few blocks from the White House.
Modi was initially to go alone to pay homage to the activist leader but in a last minute change, the American President also decided to join him. Beyond the economy, Obama and Modi said they discussed shared intelligence on terrorism and regional concerns, including Afghanistan, where the US is winding down its 13-year military involvement. Also on the agenda: clean energy, climate change, medical collaboration to fight diseases and scientific efforts to improve sanitation and hygiene throughout India.