Page 60 - Us India Relations

White House defends Biden's statement calling India, China 'xenophobic'

The United States is a country of immigrants, the White House has said, defending President Joe Biden's remarks calling two of his QUAD partners -- India and Japan -- as well as Russia and China "xenophobic" nations, asserting that none of these countries, unlike the US, welcome immigrants. Responding to a question about the remarks made by Biden at an election fundraiser on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the president was making a "broader point". He was making a broader point. Our allies and partners know very well that how much this president respects them," Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Thursday. "As you know, in regard to Japan, they were just here for the state visit. The US-Japan relationship is an important relationship. It's a deep, enduring alliance, she said. "He (Biden) was making a more broad comment, speaking about this country and speaking about how important it is to be a country of immigrants and ho

Reported Indian role in assassination plots 'serious matter': White House

India's foreign ministry said the Washington Post report made "unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter" while New Delhi is investigating the issue.

Unsubstantiated imputations: MEA responds to Post's report on Pannun case

A day after The Washington Post named an Indian official for allegedly plotting to eliminate Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, India on Tuesday said the report made "unwarranted and unsubstantiated" imputations on a serious matter. The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, named a RAW officer in connection with the alleged plot to assassinate Pannun. "The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "There is an ongoing investigation of the high level committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others," he said. Jaiswal was responding to media queries on the report. "Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful," Jaiswal said. In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian governme

India, US regularly consult on democracy, human rights issues: Official

India and the United States regularly consult at the highest levels on democracy and human rights issues, a senior US State Department official said on Monday, after an official report claimed that there were significant human rights abuses in Manipur last year. "The US and India regularly consult at the highest levels on democracy and human rights issues," Robert S Gilchrist, senior official from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, told reporters after the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices was release by Secretary of State Tony Blinken. "We strongly encourage, urge India to uphold its human rights obligations and commitments. We also regularly meet with civil society representatives both in the US and India to hear their perspectives, and those sorts of perspectives inform the human rights report, and we encourage the government of India to consult and meet regularly with civil society organisations representing a diversity of people," Gilchrist ...

India's role in medical product space represents unique opportunity: FDA

The role of India in the medical product field represents both a unique opportunity and an important responsibility, the head of the US Food and Drug Administration has said, ahead of the annual India-US BioPharma & Healthcare Summit. The summit will take place in Boston later this week. Dr Robert Califf, US FDA Commissioner will be one of the keynote speakers at the 18th edition of the annual largest gathering of pharma and healthcare sectors from the two countries, organised by USA India Chamber of Commerce. During the day-long summit, Dr Califf will share insights from his significant visit to India last September, which holds paramount importance for both countries, USA India Chamber of Commerce said in a statement on Sunday. I recently visited India with a central purpose in mindto strengthen our collective efforts to advance the development and availability of medical products that both our countries and the rest of the world need, he said. I knew, going into my trip, that .

Eager to deepen, strengthen cooperation with partners in India: US official

"I am not aware of the United States sending any observers. We generally don't in the case of advanced democracies like India," Vedant Patel said

India opens market to US farming industry in 12 categories: Katherine Tai

India has opened up its market to the American farming industry in as many as 12 different categories, a top Biden administration trade official told lawmakers on Wednesday as some influential senators raised the issue of wheat and rice subsidies in India and alleged forced labour in the country's shrimp industry. US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tie, responding to a series of questions from the senators during a congressional hearing on trade convened by the US Finance Committee, defended the Biden administration's actions. We are opening markets for hard-working American families and communities, especially our rural communities. Through negotiations, our administration has secured over USD 21 billion in new agricultural market access in the last three years, she said. For example, after the US and India terminated seven WTO disputes, India agreed to remove retaliatory tariffs on several US products. This means improved access for chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts and .

India's tariff removal on several US products benefiting farmers: USTR

In her testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee Hearing on the President's 2024 Trade Policy Agenda, Tai mentioned that India and the US resolved the final outstanding WTO dispute

India-US jet engine deal is revolutionary, says defence secretary Austin

The India-US deal to jointly produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force is revolutionary, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers on Wednesday. The landmark deal was announced last June during the historic Official State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US. The General Electric signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics to make fighter jet engines for the IAF. Austin told the House Appropriations Subcommittee that the United States has a great relationship with India. We recently have enabled India to produce a jet weapon, a jet engine in India. And that's kind of revolutionary. That will provide a great capability to them. We are also co-producing an armoured vehicle with India," he said. "So, all of these things, when you add them up, are probably more than we have seen happen in that region in a very, very long time, Austin said.

India's growth dependent on global interdependence: Ex-US trade official

: The current China situation presents an opportunity to be an alternative or additional node in global supply chains, a former US trade official said Tuesday and asserted that India's economic prosperity will be driven by its global interdependence in increasing trade and investments into and from India, helping drive job creation, GDP growth and prosperity. The former official said as India becomes the third largest economy in nominal GDP and as the Indian middle class grows to become larger and with higher incomes, it will emerge as a significant market for US and global businesses. India's productive capacity will similarly find enhanced ways to serve global demand as we already see in technology, he said. India is a beneficiary of globalisation. Its economic prosperity will be driven by its global interdependence, in increasing trade and investments into and from India, helping drive job creation, GDP growth and prosperity. Today the global supply chain situation works in ...

Encourage India, Pak to find resolution: US on alleged anti-terror ops

Quizzed about reported statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on crossing borders to kill terrorists, the Biden administration said the US would not involve itself on the matter but encouraged India and Pakistan to avoid any escalation and find a resolution through dialogue. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was responding to questions at a news conference on Tuesday on alleged operations by India in other countries to eliminate terrorists. When asked if Modi and Singh's comments can be seen as confessions on the alleged assassination of (Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh) Nijjar in Canada, (designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh) Pannu's murder-for-hire plot in New York, and killings in Pakistan, Miller said the US will not get involved in the matter. The United States is not going to get into the middle of this, but we do encourage both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue, the State ...

US NSA Jake Sullivan's visit to India postponed for second time this year

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has postponed his visit to India this week in view of the evolving situation in West Asia following escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran. It was the second time this year that Sullivan deferred his trip to India. The senior Biden administration official was scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on the progress in implementation of the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), besides other issues. "Due to ongoing events in the Middle East, NSA Sullivan has postponed his trip to India this week," a US embassy spokesperson said. West Asia has been reeling under increasing tensions after Iran carried out the first direct attack on Israel by firing hundreds of drones and missiles early Sunday. Iran carried out the attack on Israel in response to a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards includ

Modernised Indian military has reduced its dependence on Russian arms: US

Observing that India has showcased itself as a global leader, the top intelligence official from the US Department of Defense has told the Congress that in 2023, India took steps to modernise its military to compete with China and reduce its dependency on Russian origin-equipment. During the past year, India has showcased itself as a global leader by hosting the Group of 20 economic summit and demonstrated a greater willingness to counter PRC (People's Republic of China) activity throughout the Indo-Pacific region, Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency told members of the House Armed Services Committee the subcommittee on intelligence and special operations during a Congressional hearing on defence intelligence countering China. India, he said, has advanced partnerships in the Indo-Pacific with regional South China Sea claimants, such as the Philippines, through training and defence sales and deepened cooperation with the US, Australia, France and ...

Kwatra meets key US officials, reviews progress of strategic partnership

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has met several US senior officials, including Deputy Secretary of Defence Kathleen Hicks, to undertake a detailed review of the progress on further consolidating the bilateral strategic ties and discussed their shared efforts to promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. Kwatra is in the US this week for a series of meetings with senior officials of the US government and interaction with industry leaders to advance bilateral cooperation in areas like defence and technology. Hicks and Kwatra discussed priorities for strengthening the US-India defence partnership, including the implementation of the roadmap for the US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation, Pentagon spokesperson Eric Pahon said. The two officials underscored the historic momentum in the Major Defence Partnership in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to an official statement. They applauded the efforts by both countries to advance the co-production of fight

US NSA Sullivan to travel to India next week for talks to strengthen ties

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to India next week to compare notes on the Indo-Pacific, talk about technology cooperation and also meet his counterpart Ajit Doval and others to take the US-India relationship to the next level. Sullivan is likely to meet Doval for the annual review meeting for the initiative on critical and emerging technologies (iCET) that was postponed due to the cancellation of his visit in February due to other global commitments. The India visit by a close Biden aide comes soon after Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra who is in the US for a series of meetings with senior officials from the US government and interacting with industry leaders to advance bilateral cooperation in areas such as defence and technology. Sullivan would be in India next week to celebrate elements of our bilateral relationship, compare notes on the Indo-Pacific, and also talk about the next steps in technology cooperation. We think these are all effective, prudent ...

Foreign Secy Kwatra holds meetings with US officials, industry leaders

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra is here this week for a series of meetings with senior officials from the US Government and interaction with industry leaders to advance bilateral cooperation in areas like defence and technology. Kwatra held separate meetings with Richard Verma, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and Kurt Campbell, Deputy Secretary of State at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department. Productive catch up with Indian Foreign Secretary Kwatra on advancing ongoing US-India cooperation and the need for our countries' close partnership for regional security and prosperity, Verma said in a post of X. Earlier in the day, Kwatra was hosted by the US India Business Council over a breakfast meeting with its Board Chair and NASDAQ Executive Vice Chairman Ed Knight. They engaged in discussions on deepening investment channels, fostering innovation and technology, and strengthening the commercial ties between our countries, the USIBC said in a pos

California celebrates Mahavir Jayanti, launches digital detox campaign

An eminent Jain community leader has launched a digital detox campaign from the California State Assembly, which witnessed the first-ever Mahavir Jayanti celebrations. The celebration at the State Assembly in Sacramento on Monday marked the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir and highlighted the importance of peace, compassion, nonviolence, and love, a media release said on Thursday. Jain spiritual leader Lokesh Muni flew in from India to attend the event along with leaders of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America or JAINA, Prem Jain, its past president and Biren Shah, its director. The birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankar of Jainism, is being organised in the dignified atmosphere of the California State Assembly, that too in the glorious presence of California State Senator and Assemblyman," Lokesh Muni said. "The philosophy of Lord Mahavira is very significant and relevant. It is relevant today as it was useful in the past. Solutions to many global

Indo-Pacific to ensure US-India partnership supports allies: Lloyd Austin

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has told lawmakers that by bolstering the Indian military's capabilities, the nations can work together to uphold a more stable balance of power across the wider Indo-Pacific. He also told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing this week on the annual budget of the Department of Defense that the militaries of the US and India are accelerating operational activities to boost maritime security in the Indian Ocean. "By bolstering the Indian military's capabilities, we can work together to uphold a more stable balance of power across the wider Indo-Pacific," Austin said and added that "with this budget request, we are beginning a new chapter in US-India relations under our Major Defense Partnership". The defense secretary said, "Our militaries are accelerating joint exercises, information-sharing and other operational activities to boost maritime security in the Indian Ocean." "We are committed to ensuring that th

Resolution tabled in US Cong condemning attacks on Hindu places of worship

Celebrating the contributions of Hindus and Hinduism to the US, a prominent Indian-American Congressman has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry, hate and intolerance. The resolution that was introduced by Congressman Shri Thanedar on Wednesday has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. The resolution reads that despite their positive contributions to the United States, Hindu Americans face stereotypes and disinformation about their heritage and symbols, and have been the targets of bullying in schools and on college campuses, as well as discrimination, hate speech, and bias-motivated crimes. According to the FBI's Hate Crimes Statistics Report, anti-Hindu hate crimes targeting mandirs and persons are annually on the rise while in parallel Hinduphobia in American society is unfortunately rising, the resolution said. Noting that the United States has welcomed more than four million Hindus f

Top US trade mission to visit India to explore agribusiness sector

A high-powered trade delegation will visit India later this month to explore opportunities in the country's agribusiness sector. "India represents a growth economy for the US agribusinesses seeking to capture an increasing share of the household food purchases in the fifth-largest economy in the world," said Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affair Alexis Taylor. From April 22 to 25, Taylor will lead a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) agribusiness trade mission to Delhi. "India's rising middle-class consumers' familiarity with American food products and increased purchasing power is a real opportunity for US producers," Taylor said. "This along with the Indian consumers' trusted view of American food and agricultural products as high-quality has contributed to an 11 per cent growth in the US agricultural-related exports to India over the past two years," she said. While on the trade mission, participants will engage in targeted business-to-busine