New Delhi:

The US and India plan to elevate bilateral technical, financial, and policy support to expand complementary manufacturing capacity for building on existing clean energy cooperation between the two nations, according to the White House.

The announcement on Saturday came after the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden at Greenville, Delaware.

Prime Minister Modi is in the US on a three-day visit.

To launch the partnership for establishing a “shared, resilient, and cutting-edge techno-industrial base” centred on innovative clean energy manufacturing techniques, the US and India are “working to unlock USD 1 billion in new multilateral finance through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) for projects, including catalysing India’s domestic clean energy supply chain buildout”, the White House said in a statement.

The partnership will look to expand complementary US and Indian manufacturing capacity for clean energy technologies and components and lay the groundwork for enhanced cooperation in third countries, with a focus on partnerships in Africa.

This effort will build on existing clean energy cooperation between the US and India, including clean energy initiatives launched during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US in 2023, and the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership led by the US Department of Energy and Government of India ministries, among other initiatives.

The US-India partnership “sets a strong example for the world and positions our countries to lead clean economic development in the 21st century,” the statement said.

“The United States and India share an enduring commitment to deepen our collaboration on issues of shared national and economic security. As an important aspect of our economic growth agendas, we are committed to working together to capture the benefits of the clean energy transition, including the creation of high-quality jobs for our populations, acceleration of clean energy deployment globally, and achievement of global climate goals,” it said.

“Over time, we seek to mobilise additional financing into priority clean energy manufacturing sectors that harness public and private financial tools and pioneer innovative financial vehicles to meet the rapid demand for flexible climate finance solutions,” said the White House.

Noting that the United States and India intend to work with relevant government agencies, civil society and the private sector to identify a package of pilot projects across the clean energy value chain, it said that the two nations also pledge to work with industry leaders on the following lines of effort to launch and eventually scale this new partnership.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said today it is difficult to put a limit on the India-US relationship, and that the two countries now see each other as “desirable, optimal, and comfortable partners.”

Addressing an Indian community event in Washington DC, Mr Jaishankar said, “I am often asked, where do you think this relationship (India-US) is going…now it’s hard for me today, really, to put a limit on it, to define it, to even voice expectations, because in every way this relationship has exceeded expectations, which is why today we don’t even try to define it. We actually keep raising the bar.”

Mr Jaishankar held meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, senior members of the US Administration, US business leaders, and think tank experts this week. The External Affairs Minister said that India and the United States have a “very compelling need” to work together and that it is in Washington’s interest to have partners who think and speak well of America.

Speaking to the community in Washington D.C. pic.twitter.com/p2Vtk6pG2X

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 1, 2023

“We keep finding new domains, the more we do with each other, the more we find we are able to do, explore together, and achieve together,” he added.

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“In this changing world, I would say, today, India and the United States have moved to a position where we really see each other as very desirable, optimal partners, comfortable partners, with whom it’s a natural instinct today. So, the chemistry and the comfort today of the relationship gives me enormous hope about where the prospects are,” he added.

Mr Jaishankar met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington recently, amid the diplomatic row with Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in June this year.

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The foreign minister rejected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that Indian government agents were involved in Nijjar’s killing, saying it was “inconsistent with India’s policy.”

Mr Blinken expressed deep concern over Mr Trudeau’s allegations, saying that the US is urging the Indian government to cooperate with the investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Mr Jaishankar also met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday for a productive discussion on deepening bilateral defence cooperation between India and the US, including the co-production of defence articles.