Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed a joint statement.
Highlights
- US Secretary of State on 2-day visit to Delhi
- India, US sign landmark agreement to share bases for repairs
- John Kerry backs India strongly in asking Pak to stop terror strikes
India and America are witnessing a defining moment in their progressing relationship, said US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is in Delhi just as the countries signed a deal to share each other's military bases for repairs and resupplies.
Here are the 10 latest developments in this story:
Mr Kerry's focus is on pushing security and hiking trade five-fold to $500 billion.
Mr Kerry engaged in extensive "strategic and commercial dialogue" with Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who he referred to warmly and several times by only her first name. He will meet tomorrow with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"We don't make distinctions between good and bad terrorists. Terror is terror," said Mr Kerry, reiterating America's support to India's demand that Pakistan punish the attackers involved in 26/11 and January's terror strike on the Pathankot air force base.
"I told John Kerry that Pakistan has to take action against the LET (Lashkar-e-Taiba) , Jaish (e-Mohammed) and D company," said Ms Swaraj, referring to huge terror groups and crime syndicates in Pakistan.
Mr Kerry confirmed that progress was made on an agreement about the construction of six nuclear reactors by US giant Westinghouse. "We hope to see our civil nuclear cooperation take shape in the form of new reactors that will deliver reliable electricity to tens of millions of Indian households," Mr Kerry said. The deal has been held up in the past by concerns over India's laws that would make US companies liable for accidents at plants they helped build.
Ms Swaraj said she has thanked the US for its support for India's bid to join the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG, a group of 48 countries. Earlier this year, the US led an initiative for India to gain admission to the bloc that trades in sophisticated nuclear material and technology, but China fronted a group of countries who blocked India's membership.
The US has promised to push India's bid at "the highest levels" before the next NSG meeting later this year.
Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and his counterpart US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter sealed an agreement yesterday in Washington in efforts to strengthen defence ties to counter concerns over China's growing military assertiveness.
Both countries can now access each other's military bases. Defence Minister Parrikar has stressed that the new agreement does not allow for US bases to be set up on Indian soil nor for troops to be stationed there.
Mr Kerry, who is on his fourth visit to India, will take questions from students at IIT-Delhi tomorrow.
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