India, US announce ambitious plans to boost defence, energy ties

Washington: India and the US have decided to take a big leap in broad-basing their strategic ties in several critical areas, with President Donald Trump announcing after talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Washington is paving the way to provide New Delhi with F-35 fighter jets as part of increasing military supplies by billions of dollars.

After holding wide-ranging talks with Modi, Trump said there is a "special bond" between the world's oldest and largest democracies and both sides decided to shore up cooperation in diverse areas such as energy, critical technologies and connectivity.

"Starting this year, we will be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars," Trump said at a joint press conference with Modi.

"We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with F-35 stealth fighters," he said.

Trump said he and PM Modi have reached an agreement on energy that will make the US a leading supplier of oil and gas to India.

The US President also announced that India and the US will be working together like "never before" to confront the threat of radical Islamic terror across the world.

"I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved extradition of one of the very evil people of the world," he said, referring to the extradition of 26/11 plotter Tahawwur Rana to India.

On the contentious issue of tariff, the US president said Washington wants a level playing field.

On the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, Trump said both sides agreed to work to help build one of "greatest trade routes" in history globally.

Trump also said that India is reforming its laws to welcome US nuclear technologies into the Indian market.

In his remarks, Prime Minister Modi said cooperation between India and the US can shape a better world.

A defence cooperation framework will be prepared for next decade, he said.

Earlier, Trump welcomed Modi with a long handshake and a warm hug at his at his Oval Office in the White House, while describing the prime minister as a "great friend" for a long time.

The two leaders made brief statements to the media and answered a number of questions before settling down for the crucial talks, hours after the American President announced a new reciprocal tariff policy for all the trading partners of the US.

"We are going to work with India also. We have separate big trade deals to announce in the very near future," Trump said while talking about his administration's trade policy.

"We are going to make some wonderful trade deals for India and for the US," he said replying to a question.

In his remarks, Modi congratulated Trump for becoming the president for a second term and recalled the upward trajectory of India-US relations during the American leader's first stint at the White House.

"I firmly believe that in your second term, we will work with more speed," he said.

"President Trump always keeps the national interest of the US supreme and like him, I also keep the national interest of India at top of everything else," Modi added.

The Prime Minister and the President also answered questions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict

"I support Donald Trump's efforts towards finding a possible solution to end the war. The world somehow feels India has been neutral during the war. But I would like to reiterate that India has not been neutral. In fact, India has been on the side of peace," Modi said.

"When I met President Putin, I had even said that 'this is not the era for war'. I had also said that solutions cannot be found on the battlefield. They can only come when all parties sit at the table for dialogue," he added.

Before meeting Trump, Prime Minister Modi held separate talks with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, billionaire Elon Musk and Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy.