Page 2 - Us India Relations

India-US ties key for strong world economy, outcompete China: Schumer

A strong India-US relationship is a must for democracy, advancement in technology and a robust world economy, a top American senator has said, emphasising that close bilateral ties will be a crucial counterweight to outcompete China. Describing India as one of the "leading powers" of the world, Senator Chuck Schumer said close India-US ties would also be key to responding to China's authoritarianism. The Senate Majority Leader is leading a high-powered Congressional delegation of senators to India. The delegation, led by Schumer, called on Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi on Monday They discussed new opportunities for consolidating the India-US ties in critical technologies, clean energy transition, joint development and production, and trusted and resilient supply chains. The prime minister welcomed the Congressional delegation to India and appreciated the consistent and bipartisan support of the US Congress for deepening India-US bilateral ties, his office said in a statement. W

India natural partner of US in diversifying supply chains: Congressman Bera

As American companies diversify their supply chains, India becomes a natural partner, an influential US lawmaker has said, asserting that the recent announcement of the Air India-Boeing deal is a demonstration of India modernising its civil aviation sector. On Tuesday, Air India announced its agreement to purchase 190 Boeing 737 MAXs, 20 Boeing 787s, and 10 Boeing 777Xs a total of 220 firm orders valued at a list price of USD34 billion which will support more than one million American jobs across 44 states, many of which will not require a four-year college degree. We've realised through the pandemic; how dependent our supply chains have been on China. And when we are urging American companies to diversify their supply chains, India becomes a natural partner there. They are certainly in the pharmaceutical sector, they have a mature pharmaceutical sector, but also in defense production, other areas of technology, India has a very vibrant tech sector, Indian-American Congressman Ami .

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy expresses commitment to deepen India-US ties

McCarthy welcomed India's envoy Taranjit Singh Sandhu at a reception hosted by eminent diaspora members at Indian Wells in California

Biden rejigs national economic team, retains Indian-American Ramamurti

US President Joe Biden has reconstituted his national economic team at the White House but has retained Indian-American adviser Bharat Ramamurti who has been with him since day one of his presidency. Lael Brainard will now serve as Director of the National Economic Council and Jared Bernstein is being nominated as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, the White House said Tuesday. Ramamurti would continue to serve as Deputy Director of the National Economic Council and as an Adviser for Strategic Economic Communications, the White House said, reflecting that the president has kept him as part of his core team. Biden also named Heather Boushey, who currently serves as a Member of the Council of Economic Advisers, to also serve as Chief Economist to the Invest in America Cabinet. He named Joelle Gamble, who currently serves as Chief Economist at the Department of Labour to be Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, according to a White House statement. Along with Bhar

India-US ties deeper with announcement of Air India-Boeing deal: US

The mega commercial plane deal between Air India and Boeing is an opportunity to deepen an already profoundly intertwined relationship between India and the United States, the US said Wednesday. "It's an opportunity to deepen what is already a profoundly intertwined relationship based on shared interests, based on shared values, based on our deep economic ties. And with the announcements between Boeing and Air India yesterday, those ties are all the deeper," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. The "landmark" Air India-Boeing deal, according to US President Joe Biden, will create up to 1 million jobs across 44 states in the US. "It is something that we've heralded. It is an opportunity not only for the American economy and for workers here in this country, but it's an opportunity for the Indian people as well," Price said in response to a question, a day after the historic airplane deal between the two countries. "The United States i

India, US strengthening ties on critical technologies: Ambassador Jones

Jones, who heads the US delegation at Aero India event said the two nations are working to address climate change; improve global health, prepare for new pandemics among other things

Want to be India's 'premier partner' in its extraordinary growth story: US

The US wants to be not only India's security partner of the first resort but also its premier partner in its extraordinary growth story, the Pentagon has said. These remarks were made by Pentagon Press Secretary Brig Gen Patrick Ryder on Wednesday while responding to a question on the recently launched India-US initiative on critical emerging technologies, which has a significant defence component in it. The high level of participation from across the US government, US industry, and our universities is unprecedented, and sends a strong signal that the United States wants not only to be India's security partner of first resort but to be the premier partner in India's extraordinary growth story, Ryder said. The Department of Defence is excited to work with other US agencies and partners as part of the White House-led United StatesIndia Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), he said. We look forward to sharing more information on our defence cooperation with India a

US officials visit Indian Navy base operating leased Predator drones

The US officials have visited a key Indian Navy base that operates the leased American Predator drones, highlighting the close synergy between the two countries in building credible defence cooperation. During the visit, US Embassy Staff were briefed by the Indian Navy about the capabilities of the remotely piloted aircraft and its various sensors, their roles in aiding Indian Navy surveillance tasking, maintenance, and logistical support, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) said in a media release. "The visit by Staff of the US Embassy in India to witness MQ-9 operations from an Indian Naval Base, highlights the close synergy between our two countries in building credible defence cooperation for achieving and maintaining peace in the Indian Ocean Region, Vivek Lall, chief executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, said in a statement. India has leased General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) manufactured MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for over two

Second round of IPEF negotiation to start in India on Wednesday

India has opted out of the trade pillar as broad consensus had not emerged on issues pertaining to labour, environment, digital trade, and public procurement

Hillary Clinton announces $50 million Global Climate Resilience Fund

Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton on Monday announced a Global Climate Resilience Fund of 50 million dollars for women to fight climate change. The fund will empower women and communities to fight climate change and help provide new livelihood resources and education, she said addressing salt pan workers near Kuda village in Gujarat's Surendranagar district. "Today, Clinton Global Initiative with the American Indian foundation, SEWA (Self Empoyed Women's Association founded by late activist Ela Bhatt) and other organisations, I announce 50 million dollar Global Climate Resilience Fund for women," Clinton said. "I have had the privilege of working with EIaben and SEWA for nearly 30 years. But we are thinking about next 50 years," she said. On Sunday, Clinton attended a programme in Ahmedabad to mark 50 years of SEWA as a trade union and paid homage to its founder and renowned social activist Ela Bhatt. During the event, she had said heat caused by climate change poses

Hillary Clinton to meet salt pan workers on 2nd day of Gujarat visit

Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will meet salt pan workers in Gujarat's Surendranagar district on Monday, the second day of her visit to the state. During the programme, she will also announce a 'Climate Resilience Fund', the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) said in a statement. Clinton will visit the shelter and salt pan of a woman farmer in Kuda desert of Surendranagar district. Some farmers will also explain to her the process of salt farming and share their experiences, it said. She will also visit a community learning centre and attend a round table with SEWA leaders on the next 50 years of the organisation, the statement said. On Sunday, Clinton attended a programme in Ahmedabad to mark 50 years of SEWA as a trade union and paid homage to its founder and renowned social activist Ela Bhatt. During the event, she said heat caused by climate change poses an additional challenge to women workers in informal sectors and a global Climate Resilience Fund will h

US body welcomes govt's budget proposal to reduce import tariffs on pecan

America's National Pecan Federation has welcomed the annual budgetary proposal of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to reduce the import duty on pecan by 70 per cent, a move it said would benefit thousands of farmers in the country, especially in Georgia. This is great news for the pecan industry, Larry Don Womack, chairman of National Pecan Federation (NPF), said after Sitharaman in her budget proposed to reduce the import tariff on pecan from 100 per cent to just 30 per cent. The federation, in a statement on Thursday, described it as a significant positive change for the pecan industry that opens the US pecan export market to India. Pecans are grown in 15 states and have a significant impact on these rural economies. Opening the India market will be a great opportunity for our industry to expand and grow, Womack said. Over the last few years, the NPF had been working with pecan growers, lawmakers and US trade representatives asking them to urge India to reduce the tariff

US Republican senator seeks removal of subsidies on wheat, rice in India

A powerful Republican Party Senator has urged the Biden administration to speak to the Indian government about the subsidies it gives to its wheat and rice growing farmers, which he claimed is against the norms of the World Trade Organization. Rice and wheat farmers throughout the country are seriously impacted by India's blatant WTO violations, Senator John Boozman from Arkansas said during a Congressional hearing on the 2023 Farm Bill organised by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. We continue to engage India in multilateral forums on this issue, raising questions in the WTO, and working on counter notifications in years past to bring out really what we view as the truth to their subsidisation policy, replied Alexis Taylor, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. He was responding to a question from Boozman, who is a Ranking Member of the Agricultural Committee. Could you tell us a little bit about what you are doing in your ...

India, US keen to conclude $3 billion MQ-9B predator armed drones deal

India and the United States are keen for an early conclusion of the 30 MQ-9B predator armed drones deal at a cost of over USD 3 billion, which will help New Delhi strengthen its overall surveillance apparatus along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Indian Ocean. In the works for more than five years, the ball is now in India's court, officials familiar with the development said Wednesday, without explaining further. The MQ-9B predator armed drones -- 10 each for three services -- is seen to be a key part of India's national security and defense needs. The officials did not elaborate further but ruled out that there was any bureaucratic hurdle or regulatory issues involved. I have to take that back and check on that, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Jessica Lewis told reporters here when asked for the delay in the deal, which was announced in the summer of 2017. It has been pending for quite some time now, for reasons not known in the public. Howev

Launch of 'Innovation Bridge' to connect US, Indian defence startups

The two sides discussed opportunities for greater cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, co-development and coproduction, and ways to deepen connectivity across our innovation ecosystems

Indian, US space officials discuss human space exploration in Washington

A highlight of the NASA-ISRO cooperation is the Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, planned for next year

US, India seek joint production of GE jet engines amid push for closer ties

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a briefing that the framework won't be solely driven by the geopolitical challenges posed by Moscow or Beijing

US-India partnership targets arms, semiconductors, AI to compete with China

New Delhi has frustrated Washington by participating in military exercises with Russia and increasing purchases of the country's crude oil, a key source of funding for Russia's war in Ukraine

India-US relationship not as strong as it needs to be: Congressman Thanedar

The relationship between India and the US has not been as strong as it needs to be, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar has said, vowing that he will work to strengthen economic ties that benefit both countries and help enhance cooperation between their people. Thanedar, 67, represents the 13th Congressional District of Michigan, which mainly comprises parts of Detroit and its suburbs. He was sworn in as a member of the US House of Representatives early this month. He became the fifth Indian-American to be in the current Congress, joining four others: Dr Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal. I think historically, this (India-US relationship) has not been as strong a relationship as it needs to be. We are the two biggest democracies. India has a huge economic power. India now has the leadership of G-20, Thanedar told PTI. His first month of in the House has been quite historic as he voted 15 times to elect the Speaker. This week, he was made members of

India important partner of choice, says Biden admin ahead of Doval's visit

India is an important partner of choice for the United States, the Biden administration has said ahead of a crucial visit by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for talks with the top American leadership, including his counterpart Jake Sullivan. In response to a question on Doval's planned visit to Washington next week, State Department's Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters here on Thursday that enhanced security cooperation with India was also part of US-India relations. "India is an important partner of choice for the United States in a number of spaces, and that includes trade cooperation, Patel said. It, of course, includes security cooperation. It also includes technological cooperation as well. I don't want to get too ahead of the process or get ahead of any specific meetings that might be coming down the pike, he said. Both sides are yet to announce the visit of Doval to Washington. This (India-US ties) is, of course, of great importance to us, Patel said. Ear