Modi, Obama headway into civil-nuclear deal

India and United States of America have made headway into civil-nuclear deal as the US president Barrack Obama met the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House on Sunday and discussed issues of mutual interest in detail. In a joint press conference, Obama said that USA’s success depended heavily on its relations with India. He said that USA and India are all set for a new era of friendship and said that he felt proud being the first President of United States to have attended India’s Democracy Day (January 26). Obama thanked India for the hospitality shown to him. He told that the two countries have decided to cooperate in several fields including defense. He expressed willingness to expand trade ties with India. “The two countries have expanded their trade by 60% during the recent years”, he said. He told that the US will help India in solar power projects. Obama told that the two countries will cooperate with each other in defense technology and progress is continuing in civil-nuclear deal. Supporting permanent membership for India in United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Barrack Obama said that India had a major role in maintaining global peace. Talking to the press conference on this occasion, Indian prime minister said that he welcomed the US president and his wife in India. He said that it was the first time that a US president was visiting India on its ‘Democracy Day’ and said that the US president will be India’s Chief Guest this year on Democracy Day. PM Modi said that India and the US were global partners naturally and their partnership was essential for the global peace, stability and prosperity. Modi said that there were no doubts in US-India relations previously as well but a good start was required for long-term relationship. He said that the relations between India and US were going through transition. He told that he discussed regional and global issues with the American president and official agreement between the two countries was also discussed. Indian PM announced that the expanding defense cooperation will be taken to new heights and new dimensions in defense cooperation will be looked for. When a journalist asked PM Modi about what he discussed with Obama during their p[rivate conversation, he said that private discussions should be allowed to remain private. He said that he became friends with Obama during their off-camera discussion and this friendship will bring the two countries and their people even closer. -