New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) India-US ties are set to move to the transformative level during President Barack Obama's India visit later this week, building also on the personal rapport developed between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with both sides keen to have promising outcomes from the talks on a range of issues, including defence, energy, education and economic cooperation.
Obama, chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade, has described Modi as a "man of action".
The two leaders have met thrice already in the recent past - in Washington during the bilateral in September last year, in Myanmar during the East Asia Summit and in Brisbane during the G20 in November. But the Jan 25 bilateral would be an "important summit" meeting in that it would seek to give a more concrete shape to many of the agreed points of the joint statement issued last year in Washington.
The summit would see a "more broader partnership and more energized" ties between the two sides.
In the field of defence, both sides are set to ink a new 10-year defence framework agreement that would take defence cooperation to a higher level.
Talks on developing the next generation aircraft carrier are likely to gain steam as well as on coproduction of defence equipment.
The US is keen to replicate in part the kind of defence cooperation that India and Russia share, especially on the lines of the BrahMos missiles that is jointly developed by the two countries.
The US is also to cooperate with a planned National Defence University to be set up by India.
The agreement for US involvement the Smart Cities project for Ajmer, Allahabad and Vishakhapatnam is also to get a push during the talks.
Talks have been going on between relevant authorities to take forward the project over the past few months. It would see the US participating in the three cities as knowledge partner in the areas of traffic management, solid waste management, garbage disposal, recycling waste water and in water storage, said sources.
Economic ties are also set to get a major leg up.
The fact that the US government and business houses view the Modi government as business-friendly is evident from the fact that an 80-member team from the US with 12 CEOs attended the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar, led by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Kerry had met Modi during the sidelines of the Vibrant Gujarat for talks on the agenda for Obama's visit. The US Secretary of State later told reporters that both sides would strive to make progress on the four main issues of climate change, defence, civil nuclear cooperation and economic partnership.
The stalled civil nuclear deal is also expected to get a major push with the contact group from both sides having held two rounds of talks so far. Issues over India's liability laws are expected to be ironed over.
The US is hoping to build on the Modi government's bold policy initiatives like Make in India, Smart Cities, Skilling India and renewable energy.
After Modi's assurance to foreign companies to ensure ease in doing business in India by cutting away red tape, more investments have been flowing into India from the US.
More concrete movement on the Modi government's Digital India initiative as well as on India's proposal to establish the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN, or Knowledge) would be seen during the summit.
As part of cooperation under GIAN, which is part of the joint statement, India is to invite and host up to 1,000 American academics each year to teach in centrally-recognized Indian Universities, at their convenience. While the American teachers are to be reimbursed by their parent universities, India would be looking after their stay in the country and also pay a token amount.
The process of identifying the universities on both sides is underway.
The talks would also see forward movement to cooperation in the health sector, especially in developing affordable vaccines for dengue, malaria, and tuberculosis and also in cancer research.
Obama is the first US president to visit India twice during his tenure and the first to attend the Republic Day parade as chief guest.
Supreme Court: '14 hours delay in filing FIR is a serious matter', Supreme Court questions Mamata government
On Thursday, the Supreme Court questioned the Bengal government for filing an FIR 14 hours late in the case of brutality against a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital. The court asked why there was a
UBI Lowers Minimum Lending Rate to 10 Percent
Kolkata, Jan 15 (IANS) Following the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) move to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.75 percent, state-owned United Bank of India (UBI) followed suit announcing
Datesheet released: Pre-board examination of class X-XII in government schools will start from March 10, exams will be held in two shifts
The Central Board of Secondary Education's Class X-XII second session examination is to begin from April 26. Pre-board preparation has started in schools for this exam. In such a situation, the
Announcement of SKM - 31st Promise Day, Mission UP's plan made from 1st February
After the withdrawal of three controversial agricultural laws by the central government, the farmers' movement may have ended, but many problems of the farmers remain the same. The United Kisan Morcha
Pakistan: Pakistan begged for talks with India! A former military general said - Media, and business create an environment
The bad economic condition has taken away all the swagger of Pakistan and now it has reached almost begging conditions for talks with India. Let us tell you that a former top Pakistani army officer
George Soros Row: BJP said- Congress is an anti-national force...; Opposition party's retort- Government has put relations at stake
Intensifying its attack on the Congress, the BJP on Monday accused Congress leaders of colluding with foreign forces intent on destabilizing India. Also, it asked Sonia Gandhi to disclose her role as
Nuh Violence: The statement of Monu Manesar, which became the reason for the ruckus, even the police could not do anything in front of the crowd of miscreants.
The ground for Monday's disturbance in Nuh was prepared a day earlier. Monu Manesar, who was accused in the Junaid-Nasir murder case, stated on social media. This statement became a ruckus for the
Afghanistan: Ban on shaving, notices pasted outside salons
The Taliban made a statement after taking power in Afghanistan that it would not rule as before. People will be given an exemption, but it is not so. There again the radical Islamic regime from 1996
Ban on single-use plastic from today, ban on these 19 things; Pay attention before going to market
To reduce the wastage of plastic, the ban on select single-use plastic by the Center has come into effect today. Single-use plastics are generally items that are thrown away after being used only once
Odisha Chit Fund Scam: CBI Raids 14 Locations (Lead)
Bhubaneswar, Jan 13 (IANS) A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CBI Tuesday searched 14 places in Odisha in connection with the chit fund scam, officials said.The searches were conducted in
