US president Joe Biden and Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, moved to cement ties in defence and technology during a meeting in New Delhi that underscored the burgeoning strategic co-operation between the two countries.
Gathering on the eve of the G20 summit in the Indian capital, Biden and Modi touted a “close and enduring partnership” that has become an emerging force in global diplomacy, with both countries harbouring suspicions about Chinese power and influence.
There was little new substance in a lengthy joint statement issued after the meeting, which was held at Modi’s residence. The two leaders largely restated and built on pledges to each other that had been made over the past few months, including when Biden hosted the Indian prime minister at the White House in June.