Prime Minister, Narendra Modi flew up to the United States on Monday for the purpose of talks on the foreign policy and “state to state conversation”. This is Modi’s fourth United States’ visit. Several agreements were signed, to boost bilateral ties, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House in Washington DC.
There were six new agreements signed between the two nations. The first agreement signed was regarding the arrangement between the Multi-Agency Centre/Intelligence Bureau of the Government of India and the Terrorist Screening Center of the Government of the United States of America for the exchange of Terrorist Screening Information. This agreement, basically, means that India and the US shall provide each other information regarding terrorism screening information through the designated contact points. This arrangement will improve the counterterrorism cooperation between India and the US.
More agreements signed were “to enhance cooperation on Energy Security, Clean Energy and Climate Change”, and “to enhance co-operation on Wildlife Conservation and Combating Wildlife Trafficking”. These, basically, deal with sustainable growth, clean energy as well as climate change and wildlife conservation.
Another important agreement between the two nations is the agreement “for the Development of an International Expedited Traveller Initiative (the Global Entry Programme)”. Now, the approved Indian travellers will be extended the facility of quick entry into the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports.
The fifth agreement signed is for the “Technical Arrangement between the Indian Navy and the United States Navy concerning Unclassified Maritime Information Sharing”. This agreement will allow the two nations to share unclassified information regarding white shipping as well as providing a structure for mutually beneficial marine information.
The sixth and the last agreement signed between India and the United States was for “Cooperation in Gas Hydrates”. This agreement means a raise in the understanding of the geographic occurrence, distribution, and production of natural gas hydrates along the continental margin of India and the US.
With the signing of these six memorandums, one hopes for an improvement in the ties between the two.