The ongoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to US and the joint statement released in Washington today show that the Indian leader has been able to connect with his US counterpart President Joe Biden with the bilateral ties charting new domains of engagement.
The single most important manifestation of mutual trust is evident with the two countries exploring new territories of technology partnership with the continuing easing of regulations to expedite the process. The GE-HAL MoU to manufacture F-414 98 KN thrust engines in India with 100 per cent transfer of technology could not have been possible if the leadership of the two countries was not committed to transforming ties between the two countries. The US has not transferred aircraft engine technology to even its closest NATO ally, what to talk to a country like India which professes strategic autonomy. The rapidly expanding defence partnership between the two countries is also a symbol of trust and will get further cemented when the US top-of-the-line MQ-9B high altitude long endurance (HALE) armed drones will be assembled in India and the hi-tech platform may carry Indian-made ammunition in future.
Today, both India and the US are on the same page on the Indo-Pacific and are not afraid to confront the challenges in the South China Sea as well as being opposed to unilateral changes of status quo by any nation. While President Biden named Russia for the Ukraine war, PM Modi made it very clear that he was on the side of peace and was opposed to war. The two leaders discussed cross-border terrorism in the context of Af-Pak region as well as religious radicalization with both countries on the same page on eradicating those who were responsible for 9/11 and 26/11. Both India and the US are committed to tackling climate change and want to expand bilateral trade to another level. The India-US ties have moved to the next dimension and there is no looking back.
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