During their meeting on Monday, Trump and Modi discussed the comprehensive strategic partnership between the United States and India.
India and the US have decided to strengthen military partnership after a bilateral meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.
Both the nations have resolved that “two of the world’s great democracies should also have the world’s greatest militaries,” after the meeting.
“They pledged to enhance their cooperation as Major Defense Partners, resolving that two of the world’s great democracies should also have the world’s greatest militaries,” said a readout issued by White House.
Washington acknowledging India as a major defense partner is a clear indication of the Trump administration’s stance on strengthening cooperation with India. Earlier, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis had also expressed the same views.
During their meeting on Monday, the two leaders discussed the comprehensive strategic partnership between the United States and India and their shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, said the readout.
Earlier the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had said the Trump administration was considering India as a strategic partner which is not specific to the region. Trump had also praised and acknowledged India as a global power.
President Trump expressed appreciation that Indian purchases of oil from the United States have surpassed 10 million barrels in recent months, and expressed confidence that stronger energy cooperation will be a geopolitical and economic game changer for both countries.
India has started purchasing oil from the US recently taking into account the instability of the Gulf region which is the traditional source of petroleum for India.
Calling Modi a “friend” and a “great gentleman,” Trump praised him for “doing a fantastic job in bringing around lots of factions in India.”
“It’s great to have Prime Minister Modi here. We’ve had him at the White House, and he’s become a friend of ours and a great gentleman doing a fantastic job in bringing around lots of factions in India — bringing them all together. That’s what I hear, and that’s good news. And it really is. It’s a lot of good reports coming out of India. So I want to congratulate you,” Trump told reporters.
Modi said both the countries are working together for the “interest of the future of Asia” and “for humanity as a whole in the world.”
“The relations between India and the United States are growing very rapidly with a great deal of speed. And they’re getting deeper and very comprehensive. I also feel that these relations between India and the US, they are not just for our mutual interests, but they go much beyond that. We are working together for the interest of the future of Asia and for humanity as a whole in the world. And there are many areas where we are working together and we can work together in the future, too,” said Modi.