Obama, Modi test their ‘special wavelength’ in White House meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid a wreath at the Arlington memorial here, where the bodies of American soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country have been laid down to rest.

As the two leaders meet on Tuesday for potentially the last time before Obama leaves office this November, each of them will be looking to cement not only the burgeoning bilateral relationship but also their respective legacies.

Liz Gallagher, an associate at the London-based think tank E3G, highlighted the focus on renewables as a solution to India’s vast energy demand, a significant shift in tone for the Modi government.

Chatterjee, who played a key role in reviving the India-US relationship after the Pokhran nuclear tests, vividly remembers how he and many other Indian-Americans had to lobby for months in the Congress to invite the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to address a joint session of the Congress on September 14, 2000. The United States intends to ratify the agreement this year, and the two countries said in a joint statement that India would aim to do the same. Modi remains the only person ever denied entry to the United States on those grounds. “We will co-operate to achieve the climate justice dream, along with cooperating in nuclear activities”, the Indian Prime Minister added.

“The United States is committed to ensuring that no nation is robbed of the objects that inform its identity, shape its traditions and inspire its citizens”, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said at the ceremony.

India’s burgeoning clean energy sector could also benefit from US$440 million of investment under two new initiatives aimed at providing one million households with power by 2020. After the US, he will visit Mexico.

“Washington wants to go full in”, Karnad says.

“The government did not report investigations, prosecutions or convictions of government officials complicit in human trafficking offences”, said Senator Ben Cardin, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, during a speech in New Delhi. Modi arrives in Washington from Switzerland, which has officially endorsed India’s NSG candidacy. China is batting for Pakistan to be the part of this group.

The two countries are negotiating a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), although it is not clear whether a final draft will be ready for Modi to sign on his visit.

In a joint statement, USA reaffirmed its commitment to join the climate deal “as soon as possible this year” and India said it shared that objective.

“India has made a name for itself as fastest growing economy in the world”. Will work together for world’s peace and security.

“During earlier visits, he reached out to the large Indian diaspora; this time, he will talk to the American people”, an official told The Indian Express.