India, US committed to expanding cooperation in science, technology and health

Among a range of subjects discussed during the bilateral meeting between India and the United States here on Tuesday, were issues pertaining to expanding cooperation between the two countries in the fields of science and technology, including an arrangement to cooperate on building a Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) in India.

In a joint statement issued after the third major bilateral summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama, the leaders welcomed the formation of the India-U.S. Joint Oversight Group to facilitate agency coordination of funding and oversight of the LIGO project.

They affirmed their nations' mutual support in exploring the most fundamental principles of science as embodied in the arrangement reached to cooperate on building a LIGO in India.

The joint statement said the US would look forward to India's participation at the September 2016 Our Ocean Conference in Washington, D.C. as well as holding of the first India-U.S. Oceans Dialogue later this year, to strengthen cooperation in marine science, ocean energy, managing and protecting ocean biodiversity, marine pollution, and sustainable use of ocean resources.

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Global Health Security Agenda and the timely implementation of its objectives. The Prime Minister noted India's role on the Steering Group and its leadership in the areas of anti-microbial resistance and immunization.

The leaders recognized the global threat posed by multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and committed to continue collaboration in the area of tuberculosis and to share respective best practices.

The leaders noted the growing threat of non-communicable diseases and the urgent need to address the risk factors by, inter alia, promoting healthy lifestyles, controlling sugar and salt intake, promoting physical activity especially among children and youth and strengthening efforts to curb tobacco use.

The leaders also reiterated the importance of holistic approaches to health and wellness, and of promoting the potential benefits of holistic approaches by synergizing modern and traditional systems of medicine, including Yoga.

The leaders strongly endorsed expansion of the Indo-U.S. Vaccine Action Program, which is fostering public-private research partnerships focused on the development and evaluation of vaccines to prevent tuberculosis, dengue, chikungunya and other globally important infectious diseases.