Washington: In Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Barack Obama has "found a partner" to extend and strengthen the relationship between India and the US, the White House said on Tuesday after the two leaders met for the seventh time in less than two years.
"The President is pleased that he has found a partner in Prime Minister Modi to extend and strengthen the relationship," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.
"I think what makes the relationship between Prime Minister Modi and President Obama so strong is the shared commitment that they have to warm relations between our two countries," he said.
Both leaders recognise that a strong relationship between the US and India benefits the economy, the national security and the people of the US and India, Earnest said, adding that he thinks this is what animates their relationship.
"The President obviously has had an opportunity to spend time socially with Prime Minister Modi. Modi, as I recall, hosted a very nice state dinner for President Obama in India on Republic Day when the president was there last year," he said.
"Unfortunately, the president was not able to visit the Taj Mahal on that trip, but the president is certainly looking forward to having an opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal at some point after leaving the White House," Earnest said.
The White House Press Secretary said Obama is committed to strengthening the relationship between the US and India.
"We want to look for every opportunity we can to remove impediments in that important relationship because the world and surely the citizens of our two countries benefit from a stronger relationship," he said.
"So we're seeking to deepen our cooperation on economic issues, on national security issues, on fighting terrorism, on fighting climate change. There are a whole host of ways in which the United States and India can work together to improve the world for the citizens in our two countries. And President Obama has made this relationship a priority," Earnest said.
"In fact, President Obama was interested in strengthening US ties with India even before Prime Minister Modi took office," he said, adding that the very first state dinner that Obama and the First Lady hosted at the White House was to host Prime Minister Modi's predecessor at the White House.
"That was an important event and I think it was an important symbol about the priority that the president places on the US relationship with India," he said.
"Obviously, each country has their own unique process for signing on to the deal and I'd refer you to my Indian counterpart for an explanation of how that process works in India. I did get a brief explanation of how it works, though I'm not sure that I could explain it accurately here, so I'll let them do that," Earnest said.
"But it's more than just the prime minister himself signing on the dotted line," he said when pressed by another reporter.
India will work through their process, but they are working through that process with an aim to complete it before the end of the year, and that would represent substantial progress in meeting the bar for what is required for the agreement to go into effect, he asserted.
"What is required is for 55 countries representing 55 per cent of the world's carbon emissions signing on to the deal for it to go into effect. And India, I believes represents about four per cent of the world's carbon emissions, so getting them to sign on to the agreement this year would represent substantial progress towards that goal," Earnest said.
"If we are able to achieve that goal and if agreement were to go into effect this year, that would be several years ahead of schedule," the White House Press Secretary said.
This he argued would be a clear sign that leaders around the world have a sense of urgency about fighting climate change and fighting carbon pollution and it would be a welcome step in a positive direction for the health of the planet and the health of the people who live here.
