India: US President Mr. Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi have pledged to deepen ties between their two countries. It was held during direct talks ahead of a Group of 20 summit in New Delhi at the weekend.
After Mr. Biden arrived in the Indian capital, the US and India together restated their backing for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, inclusive, and strong. They are part of the Quad alliance, which also includes Australia and Japan.
The discussions were the second face-to-face meeting between Biden and Modi since June 2023. During that visit, the Indian leader made an official state visit to the White House, highlighting their joint efforts to strengthen their alliance in response to China’s increasing influence.
At the end of last month, India raised a formal objection through diplomatic channels with Beijing. This objection was regarding China’s new standard map, which asserts ownership of territory in India along their shared border.
The map was unveiled shortly after Modi and Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping held a meeting during a BRICS summit. At the summit, which involved developing economies from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, both leaders agreed to collaborate in reducing tensions along their disputed border.
Mr. Modi and Mr. Biden talked about various agreements that were made during their June discussions in Washington, DC. Mr. Biden expressed his approval of a deal that permits General Electric to manufacture jet engines in India for Indian military aircraft. Additionally, they discussed an agreement for India to buy drones from the United States.
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