Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden on Saturday on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Wilmington. The two leaders discussed a range of issues including ways to strengthen the India-US ties and also exchanged views on global and regional issues including the Indo-Pacific.
"I thank President Biden for hosting me at his residence in Greenville, Delaware. Our talks were extremely fruitful. We had the opportunity to discuss regional and global issues during the meeting," PM Modi wrote on X after their meeting.
Biden, who welcomed Modi as he arrived at Greenville, said the US’s ties with India are stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history.
“Prime Minister Modi, each time we sit down, I'm struck by our ability to find new areas of cooperation. Today was no different," Biden said in a post on X.
During the meeting, the prime minister emphasised that India and the US enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership that covers all areas of human endeavour, driven by shared democratic values, convergence of interests and vibrant people-to-people ties.
The two leaders expressed confidence in the strength and continuing resilience of the relationship and their belief in its significance for all areas of human endeavour between the two countries, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
It said Modi conveyed his appreciation for the unparalleled contributions made by President Biden in giving impetus to the India-US partnership.
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The prime minister also recalled that his state visit to the US in June 2023 and Biden’s visit to India in September 2023 for the G-20 Leaders’ Summit have imparted greater dynamism and depth to the India-US partnership.
The Indian delegation consisted of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Ambassador of India to US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The US team included Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs T.H. Jake Sullivan and Ambassador of the US to India Eric Garcetti.
Notably, this could be the last bilateral meeting of the two leaders as Biden is in the last month of his presidency and the US presidential election is scheduled for November 5.
Modi also held separate bilateral meetings with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who are in Wilmington for the Quad Summit.