India, US denounce cross-border terror

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 25

The decisions taken at the bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Washington will define the economic and security landscape of the next century, said a joint statement.

Greater info-sharing

• Defence logistics, info-sharing
• Tie-ups in space, cyber, health security
• New framework to combat drug trafficking
• Air-launched UAV for defence industrial ties
• Trade Policy Forum to meet before year-end

The two sides will build a strategic partnership and work together with regional groupings, including Asean and Quad, developing a trade and investment partnership, finishing the fight against the pandemic, scaling up climate action, strengthening democratic values and enhancing people-to-people ties.

The two leaders resolved to take action against all terrorist groups and called for the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to be brought to justice.The joint statement “denounced’’ the use of terrorist proxies and noted that the upcoming US-India dialogues on internal security would further strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, intelligence-sharing included.

The leaders wanted the Taliban to abide by UNSC Resolution 2593, which demands that Afghan territory must not be misused and respect for human rights. However, with regards to an inclusive government, they resolved to “coordinate and to work jointly with partners’’— an indication that both countries may not be on the same page on this aspect.

A new framework for counter-narcotics would facilitate joint efforts to combat drug trafficking, illicit narcotics production and precursor chemical supply chains. On climate change, Biden acknowledged the importance of finance as India plans to install 450 GW of renewable power by 2030. This will be done by the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership and the recently launched Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue. Biden expressed his “unwavering commitment” to India in defence by information and logistics-sharing, expanding engagements in a multilateral framework and greater military-to-military interaction. The recent project to co-develop airlaunched UAVs and the forthcoming Industrial Security Agreement summit, they hoped, would facilitate high-end defence industrial collaboration.