FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S.-India Joint Fact Sheet: International Security
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
June 24, 2013
Defense cooperation is an important aspect of U.S.-India bilateral collaboration. The defense relationship encompasses military-to-military dialogues, exercises, defense sales, professional military education exchanges, and practical cooperation. Both sides plan to continue pursuit of defense cooperation to mutual benefit. Both sides reiterated that the defense establishments of both countries should remain engaged through the process of dialogues, regular staff talks, reciprocal high level visits, and other exchange.
The bilateral defense trade has also been expanding. In this regard, the induction of the C-130J and C-17 aircraft into the Indian Air Force and of the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft into the Indian Navy is an important milestone. Both sides concur on the need to go beyond buyer-seller relations and on the opportunities for wider defense trade and industry collaboration in areas of mutual interest. Both sides are engaging in a number of ways and through diverse forms of dialogue and exchanges to progress defense cooperation.
The United States and India continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation to counterterrorist groups – including through annual Counterterrorism Joint Working Group meetings and the Homeland Security Dialogue, which last met in May 2013. Such discussions have facilitated close coordination in areas such as cyber security including, critical infrastructure protection, global supply chain security, countering counterfeit currency and illicit financial flows; mega city policing as well as cooperation in capacity building. The two countries have also cooperated on the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and continue to work together to fight terrorism, organized crime and threats to the internal security of both countries.
The United States and India plan to soon hold another round of whole-of-government Cybersecurity Consultations chaired by their respective national security councils to coordinate positions on cross-cutting cyber-security issues that impact international and economic security. The Consultations consider overall bilateral cooperation on cyber-security, cyber-security best practices, supply-chain security, and norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace. In addition, the State Department and the Ministry of External Affairs chaired the first successful meeting of a cyber experts’ Strategic Cyber Policy Dialogue focused on cyber policy issues such as norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace, internet freedom, internet governance, and cybercrime cooperation. Robust operational cooperation continues between India’s Computer Emergency Response Team and the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team.
The United States and India are cooperating to facilitate missions to recover the remains of U.S. service members from World War II.
Showing posts with label U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS ON U.S.-INDIA STRATEGIC DIALOGUE
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT STATE
Video Message on U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
June 18, 2013
Namaskar. I am very much looking forward to visiting India in the coming days. As all of you know, I’ll be leading the U.S. delegation to the fourth U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, and I think it’s safe to say that our collaboration has never been more important than it is today. As President Obama has said, the friendship between our two nations is one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.
Personally, I’ve seen that friendship come a long way in the last 20 years. When I first visited India nearly two decades ago, I led the first U.S. Congressional trade delegation as an historic step at the moment that the first financial reforms were taking place, interestingly then under the Finance Minister Singh. And I’ve had the pleasure of traveling to your beautiful country on a number of occasions since that visit. I’ve been there during times of both great joy and also sadness.
Both of our countries have learned too well the pain of terrorism. After the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, I met with Prime Minister Singh, and that’s a meeting that I’ll never forget. And when President Obama recognized the Prime Minister as a guest of honor and talked about the depth and personal nature of our nations’ friendship at his first state dinner, I was also privileged to be there.
I remember fondly the intense work that we did together to get the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement approved in Congress, and I was proud to lead that effort in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was a very important vote, one that symbolized the broad bipartisan support for our relationship, the transformation of our ties, and our confidence in each other as strategic partners. Now, as we look forward to its full implementation as soon as possible, we’re going to have to continue to cooperate together.
Today, the U.S. and India collaborate closely in almost every field of human endeavor. Together, we are tackling shared challenges and making the most of new opportunities. From higher education to clean energy, from counterterrorism to space science, we are seizing new opportunities to work together, and in doing so, we’re increasing the prosperity and security of both of our peoples. The U.S. and India share a strong and enduring commitment to Afghanistan’s peace and prosperity, and India is making important contributions through its reconstruction and development work. And we also welcome India’s leadership in the Asia-Pacific region.
Over the last decade, our bilateral trade has, believe it or not, grown five-fold. Our students and educational institutions are collaborating in record numbers. U.S. businesses are investing in India’s booming markets. And Indian innovations are powering Silicon Valley.
So I’m looking forward to discussing these and other issues with External Affairs Minister Khurshid at the Strategic Dialogue. We’re going to talk about our shared interest in enhancing economic integration in the region; our commitment to a secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan; and our support for India’s regional leadership.
This is a critical ongoing conversation between the United States and India. It’s one that demonstrates our firm belief that a strong India is in America’s national interest. The United States not only welcomes India as a rising power; we fervently support it. And that’s why President Obama and I support India’s inclusion as a member, a permanent member, of a reformed and expanded United Nations Security Council.
Of course, that is not all that we’re going to be doing in Delhi. I look forward to visiting some of your extraordinary historic sites, and I’m very excited to meet with the next generation of Indian leaders. We’re all counting on them to help us solve some of our biggest global challenges, like the health of our planet and our people.
Our strong people-to-people ties, especially the energy and creativity of our youth and all that they share, are really the greatest assets in the vibrant U.S.-India friendship. They will ensure our countries continue to share core values, strong democratic traditions, and an entrepreneurial spirit. This is the time for both the United States and India to challenge ourselves in order to reach higher, in order to strengthen the bonds that we share, and to realize the full potential of our partnership.
It is a particularly exciting time in India, and I am excited to be there with you.
Video Message on U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
June 18, 2013
Namaskar. I am very much looking forward to visiting India in the coming days. As all of you know, I’ll be leading the U.S. delegation to the fourth U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, and I think it’s safe to say that our collaboration has never been more important than it is today. As President Obama has said, the friendship between our two nations is one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.
Personally, I’ve seen that friendship come a long way in the last 20 years. When I first visited India nearly two decades ago, I led the first U.S. Congressional trade delegation as an historic step at the moment that the first financial reforms were taking place, interestingly then under the Finance Minister Singh. And I’ve had the pleasure of traveling to your beautiful country on a number of occasions since that visit. I’ve been there during times of both great joy and also sadness.
Both of our countries have learned too well the pain of terrorism. After the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, I met with Prime Minister Singh, and that’s a meeting that I’ll never forget. And when President Obama recognized the Prime Minister as a guest of honor and talked about the depth and personal nature of our nations’ friendship at his first state dinner, I was also privileged to be there.
I remember fondly the intense work that we did together to get the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement approved in Congress, and I was proud to lead that effort in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was a very important vote, one that symbolized the broad bipartisan support for our relationship, the transformation of our ties, and our confidence in each other as strategic partners. Now, as we look forward to its full implementation as soon as possible, we’re going to have to continue to cooperate together.
Today, the U.S. and India collaborate closely in almost every field of human endeavor. Together, we are tackling shared challenges and making the most of new opportunities. From higher education to clean energy, from counterterrorism to space science, we are seizing new opportunities to work together, and in doing so, we’re increasing the prosperity and security of both of our peoples. The U.S. and India share a strong and enduring commitment to Afghanistan’s peace and prosperity, and India is making important contributions through its reconstruction and development work. And we also welcome India’s leadership in the Asia-Pacific region.
Over the last decade, our bilateral trade has, believe it or not, grown five-fold. Our students and educational institutions are collaborating in record numbers. U.S. businesses are investing in India’s booming markets. And Indian innovations are powering Silicon Valley.
So I’m looking forward to discussing these and other issues with External Affairs Minister Khurshid at the Strategic Dialogue. We’re going to talk about our shared interest in enhancing economic integration in the region; our commitment to a secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan; and our support for India’s regional leadership.
This is a critical ongoing conversation between the United States and India. It’s one that demonstrates our firm belief that a strong India is in America’s national interest. The United States not only welcomes India as a rising power; we fervently support it. And that’s why President Obama and I support India’s inclusion as a member, a permanent member, of a reformed and expanded United Nations Security Council.
Of course, that is not all that we’re going to be doing in Delhi. I look forward to visiting some of your extraordinary historic sites, and I’m very excited to meet with the next generation of Indian leaders. We’re all counting on them to help us solve some of our biggest global challenges, like the health of our planet and our people.
Our strong people-to-people ties, especially the energy and creativity of our youth and all that they share, are really the greatest assets in the vibrant U.S.-India friendship. They will ensure our countries continue to share core values, strong democratic traditions, and an entrepreneurial spirit. This is the time for both the United States and India to challenge ourselves in order to reach higher, in order to strengthen the bonds that we share, and to realize the full potential of our partnership.
It is a particularly exciting time in India, and I am excited to be there with you.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
MEETING TO BE HELD BETWEEN U.S. & INDIA ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S.-India Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
June 8, 2012
On June 11, Dr. John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Minister Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh from the India Ministry of Science, Technology and Earth Sciences will lead the second U.S.-India Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation in Washington, D.C.
The meeting, held under the auspices of the U.S.-India Science and Technology Agreement, will assess progress and identify new areas for scientific cooperation. Representatives from more than 15 U.S. Government agencies and research institutions will meet with their Indian counterparts to discuss Basic and Applied Sciences, Health and Medical Sciences, and Atmospheric, Environment and Earth Sciences; policy initiatives to strengthen bilateral research cooperation; innovation and technology commercialization; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education; and best practices for retaining and advancing women in science.
During the Joint Commission Meeting, Dr. Holdren and India’s Prime Minister Advisor for Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation Dr. Sam Pitroda will announce the Open Government Platform (OGPL)—a bilateral effort to promote transparency and greater citizen engagement by making government data, documents, tools and processes publicly available. Making this information available on an open-source platform in machine-readable format will allow developers, analysts, the media, and academics an opportunity to develop new applications and insights, which will ultimately give citizens more information to facilitate better decisions.
The meeting, held under the auspices of the U.S.-India Science and Technology Agreement, will assess progress and identify new areas for scientific cooperation. Representatives from more than 15 U.S. Government agencies and research institutions will meet with their Indian counterparts to discuss Basic and Applied Sciences, Health and Medical Sciences, and Atmospheric, Environment and Earth Sciences; policy initiatives to strengthen bilateral research cooperation; innovation and technology commercialization; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education; and best practices for retaining and advancing women in science.
During the Joint Commission Meeting, Dr. Holdren and India’s Prime Minister Advisor for Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation Dr. Sam Pitroda will announce the Open Government Platform (OGPL)—a bilateral effort to promote transparency and greater citizen engagement by making government data, documents, tools and processes publicly available. Making this information available on an open-source platform in machine-readable format will allow developers, analysts, the media, and academics an opportunity to develop new applications and insights, which will ultimately give citizens more information to facilitate better decisions.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK GIVES OK FOR $80 MILLION SOLAR POWER PROJECT LOAN FOR SOLAR PROJECT IN INDIA
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Approves $80 Million in Export Financing for Solar Project in India
Ex-Im Bank Financing Supports U.S. Jobs in Eight States
WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Supporting U.S. jobs at companies in eight states, the board of directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) approved an $80.32 million direct loan for the purchase of concentrated solar power technology by Reliance Power, Ltd. in Rajasthan, India. The project, “Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy Private Limited,” is a subsidiary of Reliance Power and is being co-financed by the Asian Development Bank and FMO, the Dutch development bank.
While accompanying President Obama on his trip to India in November, 2010, Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg signed a $5 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Anil Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Power. The MOU proposed the purchase of 900 megawatts of renewable energy generating equipment, in addition to the purchase of 8,000MWs of gas-fired technology from U.S. manufacturers and service providers over a period of five years. Since then, Ex-Im Bank has financed $760 million in three Reliance Power renewable energy transactions supporting 165 megawatts of solar and 2400MWs of gas.
U.S. companies potentially involved in the transaction include AREVA Solar Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.); E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. (Wilmington, Del.); Clifford Chance Rogers Wells LLP (Washington, D.C.); 3M Company (St. Paul, Minn.); Sika Corp. (Lyndhurst, N.J.); CCI Corp. (Tulsa, Okla.); Certainteed Corp. (Valley Forge, Pa.); Huck International Inc. (Waco, Texas); and Weed Instrument Company Inc. (Round Rock, Texas).
"This transaction will give renewable energy U.S. exporters a larger footprint in India, and it will help them be competitive against the German and Chinese companies in this field," said Hochberg. “We are excited to be at the forefront of financing this innovative technology and meeting the demands in India for cutting-edge, American-made solar equipment.”
"The Ex-Im Bank loan is an important component in helping U.S. companies like AREVA Solar, and our subcontractors, compete for and execute solar energy projects in a competitive global market while creating American jobs and economic growth." said Bill Gallo, Chief Executive Officer, AREVA Solar.
“Reliance Power is proud to be a leader in India’s clean energy future. This is the second loan approval by Ex-Im in our renewable energy initiative,” stated Jayarama P. Chalasani, Chief Executive Officer of Reliance Power. “Our strategic tie-up with Ex-Im is unmatched in terms of its scope and size. This partnership plays an important role in meeting India's growing energy needs.” Chalasani discussed export potential for U.S. companies at the breakout session, “Exploring Opportunities in India,” today at the Ex-Im Bank 2012 Annual Conference.
The purchase will showcase a concentrated solar power technology known as compact linear Fresnel reflector (CLFR) from AREVA Solar Inc. CLFR technology boils water using a series of rotating flat mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto a central elevated system of tubes that contain water. The solar system produces superheated steam that is collected in a piping system and transported to a steam turbine to produce electricity. This project along with the Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project in Australia (44 MW under construction) are the first to use technology of this kind from AREVA Solar on a large commercial scale.
Since fiscal year 2011, Ex-Im Bank has financed seven Indian solar power generating projects. With today’s transaction the Bank’s total authorizations for these projects is $256.7 million, supporting 205 megawatts, which would generate enough electricity to power about 250,000 homes in India. Ex-Im Bank is one of the largest financiers of renewable energy projects in India.
The demand for solar power in India is in part due to India's national solar initiative, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. The initiative’s objective is to bring 20,000 megawatts of installed solar capacity into the nationwide grid by 2020. Seven percent of the energy installed capacity will be renewable energy in the country. Ex-Im Bank's support was needed due to a general lack of available long-term financing at commercially feasible terms for solar projects in India.
ABOUT EX-IM BANK
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.9 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.
Ex-Im Bank approved $32.7 billion in total authorizations in FY 2011 -- an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6 billion directly supporting small-business export sales -- also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $41 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 290,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
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