'Clean energy and climate change dominated Modi-Obama meeting'

Issues related to clean energy and climate change had dominated the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama during the latter's recent visit to India, US Ambassador to India Richard Verma today said.
"When I look at the amount of time the two leaders spent time in I would say that clean energy and climate change dominated the discussions because our two countries have been really impacted by climate change. The challenge was what are we going to do together," Verma said at an Indian Chamber of Commerce programme here.
He said that it is a very exciting area for the two countries to co-operate in the future.

Stating that Obama's visit elevated the relationship between the two nations to a new level, he said people have been wanting this for a long time.
"I think we elevated the relationship. And the President called it a new moment in US-India relations. This was a transformative and historic visit. It was hugely symbolic," Verma said.
When asked about Pakistan's criticism of the nuclear deal, he said, "The President has said that our relationship with India stands on our own. Its not on any third country at all".
The envoy, of Indian-American origin, said it would be in India's interest and in the region's interest in having strong and close relationship with China and a better relationship with Pakistan.

"Now its complicated. And on the security side, we have always said that we can't impose a solution. The scope of the dialogue has to be decided by the parties and we encourage dialogue," he said.