Washington, DC [US], February 14 : US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (local time) that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a much "tougher negotiator" than him and stressed that there is not even a contest. He made these remarks during a joint press conference with PM Modi.
When asked who among them was a tougher negotiator today, Trump said, "He (PM Narendra Modi) is a much tougher negotiator than me and he is a much better negotiator than me. There is not even a contest."
Trump announced that India and the US agreed to work together to build the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and called it one of the greatest trade routes. He said that the route will operate from Israel to Italy and onward to the US.
On IMEC, Trump said, "We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the US, connecting our partners, roads, railways and undersea cables, many many undersea cables. It is a big development. It is a lot of money going to be spent and we have already spent some but we are going to be spending a lot more in order to stay advanced and stay the leader. I am pleased to report that with today's announcements, the friendship between the US and India is the strongest, I believe it has ever been. I think our relationship is the best it's ever been between two leaders of two countries."
The IMEC comprises an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe. It will include a railway and ship-rail transit network and road transport routes. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on IMEC was signed by India, the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the European Union, Italy, France and Germany on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in India in 2023.
In another major announcement, President Trump said that the US will increase its military sales to India and pave the way to ultimately provide it with F35 Stealth fighters. He also reaffirmed the commitment to the Quad partnership to maintain peace and tranquillity in the Indo-Pacific region.
"Starting this year, we will increase military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F35 Stealth fighters. In 2017, my administration revived and reinvigorated the Quad security partnership...Prime Minister and I reaffirm the strong cooperation among the United States, India, Australia and Japan, and it's really crucial to maintain peace, prosperity, tranquillity in the Indo-Pacific," Trump further said.
The US President further announced agreements on energy import agreements and trade routes.
"The Prime Minister and I also reached an important agreement on energy that will ensure the US to be the leading supplier of oil and natural gas to India, hopefully, the number one supplier. In the groundbreaking development for the US nuclear industry, India is also reforming laws to welcome US nuclear technology, which is at the highest level in the Indian market," Trump said.
"We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the US, connecting our partners, roads, railways and undersea cables. It is a big development," he added.
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