Joint statement firms up partnership

The language of collaboration runs through Modi and Biden's historic, 58-paragraph joint statement, which details a widening of India-US ties, with industry and academia set to play key roles

- Prashant Jha

In a historic joint statement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US, released late on Thursday afternoon eastern time (early Friday IST), the PM and President Joe Biden affirmed a vision of the two countries being among the “closest partners” in the world; building a relationship anchored in a “new level of trust” and grounded on shared principles of “democracy, freedom and the rule of law”; and deepening a partnership that touches every corner of human enterprise, from the “seas to the stars”. 

The language of collaboration finds concrete manifestation in the 58-paragraph joint statement across the domains of technology, defence, space, climate, economic investments, trade, education, health, people to people links, and strategic convergences across geographies, platforms, and institutions. Without it being explicitly stated, many of the specific items were quite clearly driven by the need to ensure a balance in global order to deter China’s belligerence. And they laid out an expansive vision, in a sign of the broadening of ties, where it is not just the government, but also industry and academia that are set to play a critical role.

In the past two weeks, HT was the first to report on many of the outcomes that find mention in the joint statement as well as the process that led up to it. Here is a snapshot of what Delhi and Washington have agreed to do.

Technology

Hailing the initiative on critical and emerging technologies (iCET), the framework unveiled by the national security advisers of both countries this January, the statement took forward cooperation into new domains.