Philadelphia, Sept 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an “extremely fruitful” meeting with US President Joe Biden during which the two leaders discussed ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and exchanged views on global and regional issues including the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.Modi, who is in the US on a three-day visit, was on Saturday welcomed by Biden at his residence in Greenville, Delaware, where the two leaders hugged each other. Biden held Modi’s hand as he led him into the house where the bilateral talks took place.
“The United States’ partnership with India is stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history. Prime Minister Modi, each time we sit down, I’m struck by our ability to find new areas of cooperation. Today was no different,” Biden said in a post on X after the meeting that lasted more than an hour.
The two leaders, who met on the margins of the Quad summit here, discussed ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and exchanged views on global and regional issues including the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.
“The discussions centred on strengthening the India-USA partnership across areas of mutual interest. Both leaders exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific region as well as global issues,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X.
A joint statement issued after the meeting said the India-US partnership is “decisively delivering on an ambitious agenda that serves the global good”, calling it the “defining partnership of the 21st century”.
the strength and continuing resilience of the relationship and their belief in its significance for all areas of human endeavour between the two countries, the MEA statement said.
Modi emphasised that India and the US today enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership that covers all areas of human endeavour, driven by shared democratic values, convergence of interests and vibrant people-to-people ties.
“My meeting with President Biden will allow us to review and identify new pathways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership for the benefit of our people and the global good,” Modi had said in his departure statement in New Delhi.
The two leaders reflected on a historic period that has seen the US and India reach “unprecedented levels of trust and collaboration”, according to the joint statement. They affirmed that the partnership must be anchored to uphold democracy, freedom and the rule of law for all as India and the US strive to become “more perfect unions” and meet their “shared destiny”, it said.
Biden commended Modi for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine.
“I think the President and Prime Minister Modi discussed a range of global security issues, whether that’s ranging from Ukraine, you just saw Prime Minister Modi recently did make a trip to Ukraine, as well as what’s going on in the Indo-Pacific region,” a senior administration official told reporters after the briefing.