India-US relations: News and Discussions IV

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 24 Sep 2021 06:59

https://twitter.com/DesiEscobar07/statu ... 1891656706 ------->

Courtesy: @SandeepUnnithan

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 24 Sep 2021 08:11

https://www.rediff.com/news/report/we-a ... 210924.htm
We are natural partners with similar values, Modi tells Harris
Lalit K Jha, September 24, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described India and America as "natural partners" as he held the first in-person meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House during which they decided to further cement the Indo-US strategic partnership and discussed global issues of common interest, including threats to democracy and the Indo-Pacific.
"India and America are natural partners. We have similar values, similar geopolitical interests," Modi said in a joint media appearance with Harris, the first-ever person of Indian origin to be elected as the vice-president of the United States.
Noting that India and the US are the largest and oldest democracies, Modi said the two countries share values and their coordination and cooperation is also gradually increasing."As relates to the Indo-Pacific, the US stresses on maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Harris said, amidst China's aggressive moves in the strategically vital region.
India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.
She said the world is more interconnected and more interdependent than ever before. ”And the challenges that we face today have highlighted that fact. Covid-19, climate crisis and the importance of our shared belief in the Indo-Pacific region,” she said.
Modi noted that he had the opportunity to speak to Harris after she assumed the Vice Presidency. "One of our interactions happened when India was battling a very tough wave of Covid-19 infections. I recall your kind words of solidarity that time," Modi said.
This is the first meeting between the two leaders. Harris had earlier spoken with Modi over the phone in June during the Covid-19 crisis in India.
"You are the source of inspiration for so many people across the world. I am completely confident that our bilateral relationship will touch new heights under President Biden and your leadership," Modi told Harris.
The two leaders were wearing masks as they both spoke in front of a battery of pool reporters from both India and the US.
He invited the 56-year-old Democratic leader to visit India.
"Both President Biden and you assumed office at a time when our planet faced very tough challenges. In a short time you have had many achievements to your credit be it Covid-19, climate change or the Quad," Modi said.
.....
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/k ... 2021-09-24
In meeting with PM Modi, US VP Kamala Harris 'suo moto' refers to Pak's role in terrorism
US Vice-President Kamala Harris "suo moto" referred to Pakistan's role in supporting terror groups during her maiden meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Geeta Mohan, Washington, September 24, 2021
In her maiden meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (IST), US Vice-President Kamala Harris "suo moto" referred to Pakistan's role in terrorism and asked the country to stop supporting terror groups.
Addressing a press briefing, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said, “When the issue of terrorism came up, the Vice President suo moto referred to Pakistan's role in that regard."
VP Kamala Harris pointed at the need to reign in and closely monitor Pakistan’s support for such terror groups, Shringla said.
PM Modi held the meeting with VP Kamala Harris at the White House. The two leaders exchanged views on recent global developments, including in Afghanistan, and reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
.....
Gautam

amdavadi · Post by **amdavadi** » 24 Sep 2021 09:43

There was a news today. Langley chief was in India recently and there was hawana syndrome attack on him or his entourage while he was in new Delhi.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 24 Sep 2021 10:16

^^^You mean Havana Syndrome or did the entourage just get Delhi Belly and pass hawana?

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Sep 2021 10:48

Mort Walker wrote:^^^You mean Havana Syndrome or did the entourage just get Delhi Belly and pass hawana?

below the belt, sirji,

let us not be disrespectful of a fast fading great power and their alimentary tract
challenged representatives.

after all, the master has learned from his most notorious student, the perfidious paki about the art of the pindi channa, and the passage of mellifluous and harmonious hawana, as the afghans will doubtless testify

sajaym · Post by **sajaym** » 24 Sep 2021 11:16

g.sarkar wrote: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/k ... 2021-09-24
In meeting with PM Modi, US VP Kamala Harris 'suo moto' refers to Pak's role in terrorism

'Suo moto' -- meaning the US will continue sending mota-mota packs of dollars to the Paks and the Paks will continue to be a suee in our arse. So business as usual. I was hoping that our leaders and diplomats will use the Pak backstabbing in Afghanisation, to give an 'either you are with us or against us' ultimatum to the yanks. But apparently it's more important to invite a long-lost american beti to India, than to choke an enemy who is snatching dozens of our betas every year.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Sep 2021 11:34

g.sarkar wrote: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/k ... 2021-09-24
In meeting with PM Modi, US VP Kamala Harris 'suo moto' refers to Pak's role in terrorism

williams · Post by **williams** » 24 Sep 2021 12:23

sajaym wrote:
g.sarkar wrote: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/k ... 2021-09-24
In meeting with PM Modi, US VP Kamala Harris 'suo moto' refers to Pak's role in terrorism

'Suo moto' -- meaning the US will continue sending mota-mota packs of dollars to the Paks and the Paks will continue to be a suee in our arse. So business as usual. I was hoping that our leaders and diplomats will use the Pak backstabbing in Afghanisation, to give an 'either you are with us or against us' ultimatum to the yanks. But apparently it's more important to invite a long-lost american beti to India, than to choke an enemy who is snatching dozens of our betas every year.

Ultimatum to what end. Buy some high tech weapons, get some investment if possible and make some grandstanding indo pacific blah blah and come back. There is nothing more we can offer and there is nothing more they can offer period. Pakis will get something by whoring out their country it is not going to make any substantial difference to their current basket case status. At least there is no "Peace in South Asia" statements. That is good enough for now.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Sep 2021 12:44

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 24 Sep 2021 12:56

Oh wow... just waiting for the memes the below photo can inspire...

Chetak wrote:

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Sep 2021 13:47

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPxsf_Ib7gs

I am an Indian

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Sep 2021 14:43

Full text of the press release by India (MEA) detailing the meeting between PM Modi and USA Vice President Kamala Harris

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Her Excellency Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America, in Washington DC on 23 September 2021, during his visit to the USA.

2. They expressed happiness at their first in-person meeting. They warmly recalled their telephone conversation earlier in June 2021. They exchanged views on recent global developments, including in Afghanistan and reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

3. The two leaders discussed the COVID-19 situation in their respective countries, including ongoing efforts to contain the pandemic through expedited vaccination efforts, and ensuring supply of critical medicines, therapeutics and healthcare equipment.

4. Both sides acknowledged the importance of collaborative action on climate change. Prime Minister spoke about India’s push for increasing renewable energy and the recently launched National Hydrogen Mission. He also emphasized the importance of lifestyle changes to promote environmental sustainability.

5. They also discussed areas of future collaboration, including space cooperation, Information Technology, especially emerging and critical technologies, as well as the cooperation in healthcare sector. Both leaders acknowledged the vibrant people-to-people linkages as the bedrock of the mutually beneficial education linkages and the flow of knowledge, innovation and talent between our two countries.

Prime Minister Modi invited Vice-President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff to visit India soon.

via @OpIndia

Terrorism, Pakistan, COVID, Afghanistan and more: Here’s all that PM Modi and US VP Kamala Harris discussed in the bilateral meet

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 24 Sep 2021 16:05

Modi Ji's press statement with Harris seems banal niceties and devoid of any "meat". Probably intentional by Modi wrt to Harris who has little international vision and positive impact, but lot of potential nuisance value. The real hard discussions may be happening beyond public glare.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 24 Sep 2021 17:44

Only 5 CEOs met the PM this time in NYC. Waning interest?

nam · Post by **nam** » 24 Sep 2021 17:54

It is an UN meet, not bilateral. The CEOs and his granny will be meeting hundreds of leaders and their granny.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 24 Sep 2021 18:02

When Modiji first came to NY in 2014-15, dozens of CEOs came and met him. Remember Gini Rometty meeting him at that time.

Being the 5th largest economy I would have expected more Management execs making a beeline to meet Modiji.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 24 Sep 2021 18:04

During covid times a lot of the executives would have declined meeting with the PM.

I think we need to go beyond executive meeting and start tracking how many companies have actually invested in India.

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 24 Sep 2021 19:24

https://knews.uk/kamala-harris-gently-p ... an-rights/
Kamala Harris gently pushes India’s Modi on human rights
September 23, 2021 by admin
WASHINGTON –Vice President Kamala Harris invoked her family ties to India when she gently pressured Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on human rights during a historical creation meeting Thursday between America’s first vice president of Indian descent and the leader of a country that has become an increasingly close ally.
Harris, during public remarks at his ceremonial office before the closed door, told Modi that since democracies around the world are threatened, “it is imperative that we defend democratic principles and institutions within our respective countries.”
“I know from personal experience and from my family about the Indian people’s commitment to democracy,” she said, “and the work that needs to be done. [so that] we can begin to imagine, and then actually achieve, our vision for democratic principles and institutions. ”
The remarks marked a subtle change from the Trump administration’s undeniable fidelity to the populist Modi, which has presided over an increase in religious polarization in its country, with more laws targets religious minorities, including its large Muslim population, as well attacks on non-Hindus.
Despite the mild pressure, the two leaders shared warm words, including praise from Harris for India’s role in producing COVID-19 vaccines for the world. Modi thanked Harris for offering a “sense of kinship” in a phone call during his country’s deadly coronavirus rise this spring.
.....
Gautam
This was actually from https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/ ... 9-pandemic
but I did not want to disable ad bloker.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Sep 2021 20:32

^^^^^^^

After afghanistan and aukus, there will be quite a bit of apprehension about India's reaction (though muted at present and restrained in public pronouncements)

The same guys have now thrown India under the bus twice.

japan has not been very vocal either but they will be wary after afghanistan and uneasy with aukus

mylapore maami has to be very circumspect and proceed with caution.

The consequences of any diplomatic misstep by an unpopular, critical race lightweight like her who is seen as bye-den's baggage can be damning and long lasting. her black baptist, commie, and antifa views on Modi are only too well known.

the shadowy puppet masters behind the scenes will have to be satisfied with banalities for now until the political and strategic detritus of afghanistan and aukus start to recede in the administration's rearview mirror.

The upcoming hearings will be a major hurdle for bye-den to cross and he may well throw that moron milley under the bus by force of habit thus prolonging the agony.

mylapore maami will get relegated to just doing the dishes and staying out of everyone's way.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 25 Sep 2021 00:07

FWIW - It may not resonate with what some (many/most ?) people are posting here but, here is one view from a PM of a largest democracy about Kamala Harris:

Glad to have met @VP @KamalaHarris
Her feat has inspired the entire world. We talked about multiple subjects that will further cement the India-USA friendship, which is based on shared values and cultural linkages.

In my view, and in views of all the people who are in my circle.., He is right, of course.

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 25 Sep 2021 00:18

It's called diplomacy

Some things one says for the sake of it, however banal it may sound.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 25 Sep 2021 00:25

Yes, the PM is right. What else would anyone want him to say in public? Even if relations are pushed to the edge by the US, the PM and others won’t say anything in public and continue putting a positive spin on relations. The current US administration is more incompetent than the last, they won’t be re-elected, so no reason to worry.

Y I Patel · Post by **Y I Patel** » 25 Sep 2021 03:03

Kamala Harris is part of the liberal fundamentalist Democrats. For her to have a high profile White House meeting with the Evil Moody and issuing bland diplospeak statements is a sign that the liberal fundoos in US have sued for a ceasefire just like their Munna the Paxi army

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 25 Sep 2021 03:13

Feel-good generalities. Pablum for the press and photo-op. We need to see if something concrete comes out in the coming months. Science and Tech area? Would it be another faculty exchange program or something more concrete? Given VP Harris' non-performance until now, I have my doubts.

krithivas · Post by **krithivas** » 25 Sep 2021 03:22

Al Jazeera proclaims, "Dozens of people protested against PM Modi's visit to US". Photograph shows maximum of 20, and I counted 12 in total

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in ... entnewsntp

kit · Post by **kit** » 25 Sep 2021 03:50

Manish_P wrote:Oh wow... just waiting for the memes the below photo can inspire...

Chetak wrote:

IB4TL

kit · Post by **kit** » 25 Sep 2021 03:53

g.sarkar wrote:https://knews.uk/kamala-harris-gently-p ... an-rights/
Kamala Harris gently pushes India’s Modi on human rights
September 23, 2021 by admin

This was actually from https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/ ... 9-pandemic.

eh...whats this pushing business

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 25 Sep 2021 04:07

kit wrote:
Manish_P wrote:Oh wow... just waiting for the memes the below photo can inspire...

IB4TL

One see Modi ji tumbling a ibit after being gently pushed by Kamla Chachi.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 25 Sep 2021 05:32

It’s best to leave Harris alone. After Biden resigns in 2023, she’ll be the President and we have to give her the chance. Harris’s position changes depending on how well she’s funded. Maybe Modi’s invitation to visit had an impact on her? Who knows.

Vips · Post by **Vips** » 25 Sep 2021 08:11

Paul wrote:Only 5 CEOs met the PM this time in NYC. Waning interest?

5 CEO's chosen to meet Modi.

“This year there is no roundtable with the CEOs. However, CEOs/Presidents of the five US based companies have been called for a meeting with PM Modi. The day will start with the first meeting with Cristiano R Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, followed by Adobe Chairman Shantanu Narain. CEO of First Solar Company Mark Widmer will meet with the PM, then Dr Vivek, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, and the last meeting will be with Blackstone Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder Stephen A Schwarzmann.

The focus of these individual meetings which are going to last about 15 minutes each, according to the source quoted above is to invite the American companies to invest in India

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 25 Sep 2021 08:16

Blackstone CEO promising to invest $40 B in next 5 years

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 25 Sep 2021 08:20

vijayk wrote:Blackstone CEO promising to invest $40 B in next 5 years

General Atomics makes the armed drones that India is getting from the us.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 25 Sep 2021 08:25

Mort Walker wrote:It’s best to leave Harris alone. After Biden resigns in 2023, she’ll be the President and we have to give her the chance. Harris’s position changes depending on how well she’s funded. Maybe Modi’s invitation to visit had an impact on her? Who knows.

if bye-den goes, then mylapore maami also goes.

they will find some way to get rid of this low IQ, incompetent, black baptist, antifa supporter

no one sees her as bye-den's successor, no matter what their constitution says

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 25 Sep 2021 08:38

Mort Walker wrote:It’s best to leave Harris alone. After Biden resigns in 2023, she’ll be the President and we have to give her the chance. Harris’s position changes depending on how well she’s funded. Maybe Modi’s invitation to visit had an impact on her? Who knows.

I am afraid that Harris is a one term VP. I am told that she makes good Masala Dosa. When all things are said and done, that is a positive point in her favor. As far as India is concerned, it just might be the only positive point.
Gautam

vimal · Post by **vimal** » 25 Sep 2021 13:16

Kamala is not a liberal, she is hated by lefties. If anything she is an opportunist who sways whichever way the opinion polls swing. Her ratings are even lower than Biden and that’s an amazing feat for a VP. She won’t last beyond this term and mid terms are likely will be a wash for dems.

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 25 Sep 2021 16:25

https://www.rediff.com/news/column/raje ... 210925.htm
What Did Modi's Washington Visit Achieve?
RAJEEV SRINIVASAN, September 25, 2021
This autumn has been cruel to India. Not only is the instantaneous collapse of the Afghan government a grave concern for India, based on entirely likely new terrorism threats, but then there is the obvious downgrading of the Quad partnership in the wave of the brand-new AUKUS grouping. The Financial Times believes that the Quad will become non-military.
In a sense, this is not news for India, as it was clear nobody from the Quad would send boots on the ground to help India in case the Chinese invade.
But it was tone-deaf for the Biden administration to announce the AUKUS deal just days before the first in-person Quad summit during his term.
The other two Quad partners, Japan and India, were apparently left in the dark by the Americans. So was France, which was furious at the sudden cancellation of its own $40 billion submarine deal with Australia.
At the UN General Assembly, President Biden delivered soaring rhetoric about global unity (which was contrasted with then President Trump's anti-globalist message): 'We are not seeking a new Cold War or the world divided into rigid blocs.' That would have gone over a lot better if he hadn't just abandoned his Afghan allies, or created a new AUKUS bloc. Antonio Gutierrez, the UN secretary-general, said pointedly, and perhaps as a direct rebute to Biden: 'A breakdown in trust is leading to a breakdown in values. Promises, after all, are worthless if people don't see results in their daily lives.' 'Failure to deliver creates space for some of the darkest impulses of humanity. It provides oxygen for easy-fixes, pseudo-solutions and conspiracy theories. It is kindling to stoke ancient grievances.'
Cultural supremacy. Ideological dominance. Violent misogyny. The targeting of the most vulnerable including refugees and migrants.' The US has a massive credibility gap today, because its rhetoric simply does not match its actions on the ground. In many ways, the US is ceding ground to China, for instance in its reluctance to push for an understanding of the possible lab origins of the Wuhan virus.
Open-source intelligence from the DRASTIC group found that Peter Daszak of Ecohealth had sought to cooperate with the Wuhan Institute of Virology in creating an unusual feature, a 'furan cleavage site', in bat coronaviruses, that would make them infectious to humans.
Furthermore, the US is under a Democratic presidency. We remember how badly the Democratic Clinton and Obama administrations treated India: With disdain and disrespect. Not to say that Republicans are wonderful, but these days the Democratic party has been taken over by their fringe leftists, and is remarkably 'woke'. Thus there is no chance that anything of substance can come out of Modi-Biden meetings. The only thing that the US is seeking is weapons sales. Brahma Chellaney has pointed out that all that was actually accomplished by the high-voltage sales program called the India-US nuclear deal is that India bought a lot of US weapons. According to India Today, there is a lot on the table today as well.
If it were up to me, I'd focus on the submarine hunter-killer P8i Poseidons, and would have nothing to do with the Norwegian developed system, as the Scandinavians are known busybodies. But the problem, as always, is that India opens its checkbook in return for no diplomatic or military leverage. The US sells technology that is obsolete or second-rate. For instance, despite much negotiation from India, the US refuses to sell its strategic nuclear submarine technology to India: the very same stuff it is now selling to Australia.
And there is also the threat of sanctions if India deploys its Russian S-400 anti-missile technology, which incidentally China also has.
The fact is that Biden has now created a new military alliance, which consists only of white, Anglosphere nations.
He has either thoughtlessly or deliberately snubbed the two non-white members of the Quad, that is India and Japan. And perhaps other Indo-Pacific players such as Indonesia. The involvement of Britain, increasingly a marginal power even in Europe, and practically non-existent in the Indo-Pacific, is pure Atlanticism.
.....
Gautam

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 25 Sep 2021 17:12

^^^^
Writer is full of negativity. Who is asking for boots on ground in case of QUAD?. For start intel sharing, capability enhancing, tech transfer is requested.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 25 Sep 2021 17:23

“This year there is no roundtable with the CEOs. However, CEOs/Presidents of the five US based companies have been called for a meeting with PM Modi. The day will start with the first meeting with Cristiano R Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, followed by Adobe Chairman Shantanu Narain. CEO of First Solar Company Mark Widmer will meet with the PM, then Dr Vivek, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, and the last meeting will be with Blackstone Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder Stephen A Schwarzmann.

The focus of these individual meetings which are going to last about 15 minutes each, according to the source quoted above is to invite the American companies to invest in India

With the govt pushing for semiconductor mfg in India, what is the point in having a discussion with Qualcomm, a Fabless semiconductor co, they could have invited Intel's CEO who is pouring tens of billions into semiconductor mfg facilities in Europe and NA. Even a prelim discussion with Applied material would have been a step in the right direction.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 25 Sep 2021 17:25

rsingh wrote:^^^^
Writer is full of negativity. Who is asking for boots on ground in case of QUAD?. For start intel sharing, capability enhancing, tech transfer is requested.

the writer is spot on

he is saying that no one will commit to boots on the ground for India, if attacked by the cheeni.

they will not share intel, capability enhancing, and tech transfer beyond a certain point.

so, in effect, QUAD means jackschitt to us, while for them India dutifully will continue to provide logistics, fuel, and port facilities for the honor of a once in a while pat on the head by a white man like you would do for the neighborhood stray.

and now, the UK will muscle in too using the friends and family discount at the "request" of the amerikis.

QUAD or no, aukas or no, we are on our own, just like always.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 25 Sep 2021 17:30

Paul wrote:

“This year there is no roundtable with the CEOs. However, CEOs/Presidents of the five US based companies have been called for a meeting with PM Modi. The day will start with the first meeting with Cristiano R Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, followed by Adobe Chairman Shantanu Narain. CEO of First Solar Company Mark Widmer will meet with the PM, then Dr Vivek, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, and the last meeting will be with Blackstone Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder Stephen A Schwarzmann.

The focus of these individual meetings which are going to last about 15 minutes each, according to the source quoted above is to invite the American companies to invest in India
With the govt pushing for semiconductor mfg in India, what is the point in having a discussion with Qualcomm, a Fabless semiconductor co, they could have invited Intel's CEO who is pouring tens of billions into semiconductor mfg facilities in Europe and NA. Even a prelim discussion with Applied material would have been a step in the right direction.

Intel is a strategic asset and needs a ITAR like waiver from the US govt, which will never be forthcoming to a country like India.

There are a huge bunch of US govt regulations covering strategic and dual use tech items that need the specific permission of the US govt as regards exports, end user certificates, and destination countries

breaking any of these regulations will certainly earn you a friendly visit from the hep guantanamo bay water boarding crowd