'No Discrimination In India': Modi To Question On 'Rights Of Muslims'

WASHINGTON, June 22: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India and the US have "overwhelming respect" for each other because "we are democracies and it is in US and India's DNAs to expand democratic institutions".

Interacting with reporters at a joint media conference after bilateral talks with President Joe Biden, Modi spoke at length about how democracy runs through India's veins.

Asked what India will do to improve the rights of religious minorities, Modi said, "I am surprised at what you said. We are a democracy. Democracy is part of our spirit, our blood. We live and breathe democracy. And it is in our constitution".

"If there are no human values and human rights, there is no democracy... When we live democracy, there is no question of discrimination," he said.

His government, he added, "Can deliver and when we deliver there is no discrimination on caste, creed, religion" and quoted the motto of "Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas (development for all and trust from all)".. Everyone has access to amenities," he added, irrespective of religion, caste, age or geography.

President Joe Biden earlier said democratic values figured in his bilateral with PM Modi and they had a "good discussion" about it.

The bilateral talks also encompassed key areas of the deepening India-US partnership.

Listing the fresh areas of collaboration -- artificial intelligence, semi-conductors, space, quantum and telecom -- Modi said, "This is a new chapter, direction and energy to our comprehensive partnership. US is India's biggest trade partner," Modi said at the joint statement.

'Religious Pluralism Core Principle For India, US': Biden To Modi

WASHINGTON DC, June 22: India and the US can shape the course of the 21st Century, US President Joe Biden said on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the White House on his first state visit, initiating high-level talks aimed at bolstering the burgeoning Indo-US strategic ties in areas such as defence, space, clean energy, and advanced technologies.

"Two great nations, two great powers, two great friends can define the course of the 21st century," Biden said.

The President highlighted the importance of the decisions both countries make today and their impact on future generations. He noted that the US and India are working closely on a range of critical issues, including healthcare, climate change, and the challenges arising from Russia's aggression towards Ukraine.

Biden also acknowledged the importance of religious freedom as a core principle for both nations. "Equity under the law, freedom of expression, religious pluralism and diversity of our people -- these core principles have endured and evolve, even as they have faced challenges throughout each of our nations' histories," he said during the ceremonial welcome.

Modi's visit, his first state visit, is aimed at further strengthening the growing Indo-US strategic relations in areas like defence, space, clean energy, and advanced technologies. The leaders held a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office before holding delegation-level talks.

In anticipation of the talks, PM Modi tweeted, "Looking forward to today's talks with @POTUS @JoeBiden. I am confident our discussions will further strengthen India-USA relations." This marks the second interaction between the two leaders within 24 hours, following an intimate dinner hosted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House.

The leaders discussed a range of issues over dinner, exchanged gifts, and enjoyed a musical tribute to the regions of India. Later on Thursday, the President and the First Lady will host a State Dinner at the South Lawn of the White House, anticipated to be attended by 400 guests.

Modi's visit includes an address to the joint session of the US Congress, affirming the close partnership between the United States and India. The White House stated on Wednesday, "The visit will strengthen our two countries' shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific and shared resolve to elevate the technology partnership."

According to the White House, the leaders will also discuss ways to expand educational exchanges and people-to-people ties, as well as confront shared challenges, from climate change to workforce development and health security.

Before he arrived in Washington, Modi led an event at the UN headquarters in New York to commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga, attended by UN officials, diplomats, and other prominent figures. Modi is visiting the US from June 21-24 at the invitation of President Biden and the First Lady.

US Announces $1.3 Billion Fresh Economic Aid To Ukraine

LONDON, June 21: Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday announced $1.3 billion in fresh US economic assistance for Ukraine, and vowed that Russia would eventually pay financially for its invasion.

"As Russia continues to destroy, we are here to help Ukraine rebuild -- rebuild lives, rebuild its country, rebuild its future," Blinken told a reconstruction conference in London.

"Let's be clear -- Russia is causing Ukraine's destruction, and Russia will eventually bear the cost of Ukraine's reconstruction," he said to applause, echoing remarks by leaders from Britain and the European Union.

The new funding -- which comes from money already approved by the US Congress -- is in addition to $63 billion provided by the United States to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Some $40 billion of the assistance has come in weapons and other security support.

Of the new aid, some $657 million will go to upgrading Ukraine's rail lines, ports, border crossings and other infrastructure to help the country expand trade with Europe, Mr Blinken said.

Another $520 million of the aid will help Ukraine overhaul its energy grid, much of which has been destroyed by Russian attacks, including through market reforms, Mr Blinken said.

Among the rest of the aid, $100 million will support upgrades to Ukraine's customs services, including by transitioning to digital technology to improve transparency in trade.

Blinken made clear that Washington would keep an eye on corruption, which could sap congressional support for helping Ukraine and called on Ukraine's parliament to approve a law against monopolies.

Blinken said the United States would expand assistance to bolster anti-corruption bodies and civil society as well as free media.

Such institutions are "crucial to ensuring the unprecedented resources that all of us are providing are managed responsibly".

Confident that my visit to US will reinforce our bilateral ties: Modi

NEW DELHI, June 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that his visit to the US will reinforce bilateral relations based on the shared values of democracy, diversity and freedom at a time when the two sides are working to tackle shared global challenges.

‘Modi made the remarks in a statement ahead of his departure for the state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Besides holding talks with Biden, Modi will be hosted for a state banquet by the US president and address a joint session of the US Congress.

Several crucial understandings and measures to remove barriers standing in the way of taking cooperation in key areas such as defence and critical technologies to the next level are expected to be unveiled during Modi’s three-day visit to the US.

“I am confident that my visit to the US will reinforce our ties based on shared values of democracy, diversity and freedom. Together we stand stronger in meeting the shared global challenges,” Modi said in the departure statement.

Noting that Biden’s invitation for a state visit reflects the “vigour and vitality of the partnership between our democracies”, he added that his discussions with the president and other senior US leaders will be an opportunity to consolidate cooperation bilaterally an in plurilateral forums such as G20, Quad and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

Modi described India-US ties as multifaceted, with deepening engagements across different sectors.

The US is India’s largest trade partner in goods and services and the two sides collaborate closely in science and technology, education, health, defence and security, he said.

“The initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies has added new dimensions and widened collaboration to defence industrial cooperation, space, telecom, quantum, artificial intelligence and biotech sectors. Our two countries are also collaborating to further our shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” he said.

Modi will begin his visit in New York by joining celebrations marking the International Day of Yoga at the UN Headquarters on June 21.

“I look forward to this special celebration at the very location that supported India’s proposal in December 2014 to recognise an International Day of Yoga,” he said.

He will then travel to Washington for his meeting with Biden.

The two leaders have met several times since Modi’s last official visit to the US in September 2021, and the current visit will help enrich the depth and diversity of the partnership.

Referring to his address to a joint sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Modi said the Congress has always provided strong bipartisan support to India-US ties.

“Strong people-to-people linkages have been instrumental in developing the trust between our countries. I look forward to meeting the vibrant Indian-American community that represents the best of our societies,” Modi said, adding he will meet leading CEOs to discuss opportunities in trade and investment and in building resilient global supply chains.

People familiar with the matter said the prime minister is expected to meet more than two dozen thought leaders from different walks of life in New York.

They will include Nobel laureates, economists, artists, scientists, scholars, entrepreneurs, academicians and health sector experts.

The people said among those Modi is expected to meet are investor and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson, Paul Romer, who was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize for Economics, author Nicholas Nassim Taleb, Ray Dalio, founder of the leading hedge fund firm Bridgewater Associates, and Grammy award-winning singer Falu Shah.

The conversations with these personalities will focus on synergy and collaboration between the two countries.

From the US, Modi will travel to Cairo at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Putin Threat Of Using Tactical Nuclear Weapons Real: Biden

June 20: US President Joe Biden said on Monday the threat of Russian President Vladimir Putin using tactical nuclear weapons is "real", days after denouncing Russia's deployment of such weapons in Belarus.

On Saturday, Biden called Putin's announcement that Russia had deployed its first tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus "absolutely irresponsible".

"When I was out here about two years ago saying I worried about the Colorado River drying up, everybody looked at me like I was crazy," Biden told a group of donors in California on Monday.

"They looked at me like when I said I worry about Putin using tactical nuclear weapons. It's real," Biden said.

Last week, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said his country has started taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, some of which he said was three times more powerful than the atomic bombs the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The deployment is Russia's first move of such warheads - shorter-range, less powerful nuclear weapons that could be used on the battlefield - outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The United States has said it has no intention of altering its stance on strategic nuclear weapons in response to the deployment and has not seen any signs that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon.

In May, Russia dismissed Biden's criticism of its plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying the U.S. had for decades deployed such nuclear weapons in Europe.

The Russian deployment is being watched closely by the United States and its allies as well as by China, which has repeatedly cautioned against the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine.

US Judges Sets August 14 As Trial Date For Trump In Secret Documents Case

WASHINGTON, June 20: Federal Judge Aileen Cannon has set an initial trial date of August 14 for former President Donald Trump's Florida documents case, according to a court order on Tuesday.

The Justice Department's special counsel in the case, Jack Smith, promised a speedy trial after a 37-count indictment charging Trump with will-fully retaining classified government records and obstructing justice.

But the complexities of handling highly classified evidence, the degree to which Trump's legal team challenges the government's pre-trial motions, and the way the judge manages the schedule could all lead to a trial that is anything but swift, legal experts say.

The latest order came after a US judge on Monday ordered Trump's defense lawyers not to release evidence in the classified documents case to the media or the public, according to a court filing.

The order from U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart also put strict conditions on Trump's access to the materials.

US, China Wish To 'Stabilise' Ties, Says Antony Blinken On Beijing Visit

BEIJING, June 19: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday he agreed with China's leadership on the need to "stabilise" relations but that he was "clear-eyed" on vast disagreements.

"In every meeting, I stressed that direct engagement and sustained communication at senior levels is the best way to responsibly manage differences and ensure that competition does not veer into conflict," Antony Blinken told reporters in Beijing after two days of talks.

"I heard the same from my Chinese counterparts. We both agree on the need to stabilise our relationship."

But Antony Blinken said he was "clear-eyed" about China, whose relations with the United States have sharply deteriorated in recent years.

"We have no illusions about the challenges of managing this relationship. There are many issues on which we profoundly -- even vehemently -- disagree," Antony Blinken said.

Rejecting a major line of criticism from China, Antony Blinken insisted that President Joe Biden was not seeking "economic containment" of Beijing through its sweeping ban on exports of high-end semiconductors.

"We want to see growth. We want to see success in every part of the world, including, of course, in the major economies like China," Antony Blinken said.

"But at the same time," he said, "it's not in our interest to provide technology to China that could be used against us.

"And at a time when it's engaged in a build-up of its nuclear weapons programme in a very opaque way, when it's producing hypersonic missiles, when it's using technology for repressive purposes, how is it in our interest to provide those specific technologies to China?

"Other countries feel the same way," he said.

China has pointed to Taiwan as a main area of disagreement.

Beijing claims the self-governing democracy, which buys weapons from Washington, and has not ruled out using force to seize it.

Antony Blinken repeated that the United States does not support the independence of Taiwan and stood by its stance of maintaining the status quo.

"At the same time, we and many others have deep concerns about some of the provocative actions that China has taken in recent years going back to 2016," he said.

On another regional issue, Antony Blinken said he spoke to China about using its influence over its ally North Korea, which has fired a volley of rockets and has rebuffed offers of talks with the Biden administration.

"All members of the international community have an interest in encouraging the DPRK to act responsibly to stop launching missiles, to start engaging on its nuclear programme," said Antony Blinken, using the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"China's in a unique position to press Pyongyang to engage in dialogue and to end its dangerous behaviour."

US, China Agree To Increase Flights Between Two Countries

BEIJING, June 19: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang agreed Sunday on the need to increase flights between the world's two largest economies, which remain at a bare minimum since the pandemic.

In extended talks in Beijing, the two top diplomats "agreed to work together to expand the number of flights", a US official said on condition of anonymity, while saying that no formal number was set.

China's Foreign Minister To Visit Washington After 'Constructive' Talks

BEIJING, June 19: China's foreign minister agreed to pay a return visit to Washington after "constructive" talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing on Sunday, the State Department said.

Blinken invited Foreign Minister Qin Gang and "they agreed to schedule a reciprocal visit at a mutually suitable time", State Department spokesman Matt Miller said.

US making 'huge push' to process visas in India

WASHINGTON, June 15: The consular teams of the US have been making a "huge push" to process as many visa applications as possible in India, US Department of State official spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press briefing on Thursday. He called it a "top priority" for the US government and acknowledged that "there is more that can be done."

Asked about what India can expect from the US with regard to diplomacy, immigration and visa issues during PM Narendra Modi's upcoming visit, Matthew Miller said, "With respect to visas, our consular teams have been making a huge push to process as many visa applications as possible in India, including in those visa categories that are key to the bilateral relationship. This is a top priority for our government."

"We know that there is more work that we can do, and we are working hard to do it. With respect to the broader question again, I don't want to get ahead of the White House about what kind of announcements we might have related to the trip," he added.

At the same press briefing, Matthew Miller called the US partnership with India as one of the "most consequential relationships" and added that the two nations work closely on the most vital priorities.

PM Narendra Modi is set to travel to the US for a state visit from June 21-24. Modi will be hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at a state dinner at the White House, the Ministry of External Affairs announced in an earlier press release.

Modi will also address the chairman and CEOs of top US companies at John F Kennedy Centre in Washington. During his visit, he will address the joint meeting of the US Congress for the second time. Recently, Modi said he is honoured to accept the invitation and looks forward to addressing a joint meeting of the US Congress on June 22.

Last week, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti while speaking at the US Embassy in India highlighted the strength of India and the United States relationship, adding that more Indian students throng the United States than students from any other country.

Garcetti said that one out of every five US students' visa was issued here in India in 2022. The US Mission in India held its 7th Annual Student Visa Day countrywide with consular officers interviewing Indian Student Visa applications.

"It was so inspiring to see the work of this mission and to feel the strength of the United States and India relationship. More Indians come to the United States as students than students from any other country. Last year, India became number 1 and I don't see that changing ahead in the future. I see that relationship at the very top of how we articulate our values of welcoming not just Americans to higher education but to opening that door to people worldwide," said the envoy.

"One out of every 5 US students visa was issued here in India in 2022. One out of five in the world which is more than the proportion of the Indian population in the world. So, Indians have not only pursued an education in the United States but for decades have shown their excellence in the United States and we are on track to process the highest number of visa applications in our history," Garcetti added.

S Jaishankar, US National Security Adviser Take Stock Of Modi's Upcoming Visit

NEW DELHI, June 14: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today held talks with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan with a focus on preparing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming state visit to Washington.

The top Biden administration official arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a two-day visit for talks with NSA Ajit Doval, Jaishankar and some other senior Indian officials ahead of Modi's trip.

Jaishankar said global strategic developments also figured in his talks with Sullivan.

"Great to meet US NSA @jakesullivan46 in South Block today morning. Our conversation focused on preparing for PM @narendramodi's upcoming US visit. Also discussed global strategic developments from the perspective of our partnership," Jaishankar tweeted.

NSA Doval and Sullivan on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious roadmap for Indo-US collaboration in seven specific high-technology areas, including semiconductors, next-generation telecommunication, artificial intelligence and defence.

After the roadmap was unveiled at an event, Sullivan, referring to Modi's visit to Washington, said both sides are looking at "deliverables" to address issues that have stood in the way of maximising the full potential of cooperation between the two sides.

"They are fundamentally designed to remove those obstacles in defence trading, in hi-tech trade, in investment in each of our countries, in taking away obstacles that have stood in the way of better collaboration among our scientists and researchers, in stimulating greater access for our students going both ways, for Americans coming to India, for Indians coming to the US," he said.

The roadmap for collaboration was announced at the second Track-1.5 dialogue on Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) that was organised by industry chamber CII.

In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced in May last year the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The formal movement on the framework took place in January.

The iCET is expected to forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space and semiconductors.

In his remarks at the Track 1.5 dialogue, Doval said significant progress has been achieved after the launch of the iCET around six months back and that it will serve as a platform to address regulatory barriers and related issues.

Antony Blinken To 'Responsibly Manage' Ties On Rare China Visit, Says US

WASHINGTON, June 14: The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will urge open communication to "responsibly manage" high tensions with China when he pays a rare visit to Beijing this weekend, US officials said.

The State Department confirmed that Mr Blinken will travel this weekend to Beijing on the first trip by a top US diplomat in nearly five years, rescheduling a visit that was scrapped in February as the United States detected what it said was a Chinese spy balloon.

Ahead of the trip, Blinken spoke by telephone to Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and said he would "raise areas of concern as well as areas of potential cooperation."

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken had stressed "the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship to avoid miscalculation and conflict".

Relations between the world's two largest economies have tanked in recent years over Taiwan, trade and human rights, among a litany of other issues.

A Beijing readout of the call struck a more confrontational tone, reporting that Qin had warned that relations between the two countries had faced "new difficulties and challenges" since the beginning of the year.

"It's clear who is responsible," Foreign Minister Qin Gang said, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

"China has always viewed and managed China-US relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation put forward by President Xi Jinping," he added.

Presidents Joe Biden and Xi met in Bali in November and agreed to try to prevent tensions from soaring out of control, including by sending Blinken to Beijing.

But Blinken abruptly cancelled a trip scheduled in early February after the United States said it detected and later shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the US mainland.

The two sides have more recently looked again to keep tensions in check, including with an extensive, closed-door meeting between Joe Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, and senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna last month.

President Biden has sought limited areas for cooperation with China, such as climate change, in contrast with the more fully adversarial position adopted at the end of the administration of his predecessor Donald Trump.

But two countries remain at deeply at odds over many issues.

The White House last week accused China of operating an intelligence unit in Cuba for years and upgrading it in 2019 in an effort to enhance its presence on the Caribbean island.

A base in Cuba, which lies 90 miles (150 kilometers) off Florida's southern tip, would be viewed in Washington as a direct challenge to the continental United States.

Asked about the base, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said he was "unaware of the situation" before criticising US policy on Cuba.

Donald Trump Pleads 'Not Guilty' In Secret Documents Case, Faces 37 Charges

MIAMI, June 14: Donald Trump denied dozens of criminal counts of willfully mishandling US government secrets and scheming to prevent their return, in a historic first appearance Tuesday in federal court.

It was the former president's second arraignment as he battles a deluge of legal threats, coming just 10 weeks after he was charged with a string of felonies in Manhattan over hush money payments to a porn star.

Trump appeared before a judge in Miami to be formally presented with 37 charges brought by the government following a special counsel probe that opened after an FBI raid of his Florida mansion last August.

"We are certainly entering a plea of not guilty," Todd Blanche, his attorney, told the hearing.

The US government accuses Trump -- who is vying to win back the White House next year -- of violating the Espionage Act and other laws when he removed classified documents upon leaving office and failed to give them up to the National Archives.

Authorities say he conspired to thwart investigators and knowingly shared national security secrets with people who did not have the requisite clearance.

Trump, who flew aboard his private jet to Miami on Monday, is expected to head back afterwards to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he plans to deliver a speech protesting his innocence.

"One of the saddest days in the history of our country. We are a nation in decline," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform as he was driven to court.

Miami officials were preparing for large scale protests, and police ramped up security well in advance of what turned out to be a few dozen Trump supporters converging near the courthouse.

Some wore "Make America Great Again" baseball caps and one with a sign reading "Indict Jack Smith" -- the special prosecutor who brought the charges.

Police, including some on horseback and bicycles, were out in force braced for protests and the possibility of unrest, but the atmosphere was festive with a local radio station blasting Cuban salsa music.

Trump, who made the 25-minute trip from his Doral golf course to the courthouse in a motorcade of at least six black SUVs, earlier lashed out at Smith on Truth Social, calling the prosecutor a "thug" and a "lunatic."

The runaway frontrunner in the 2024 Republican primary has vowed to stay in the race regardless of the outcome of the documents case.

The 49-page indictment, dismissed by Trump as "ridiculous," includes photographs showing boxes of documents stacked at Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach residence, in a ballroom and in a bathroom and shower.

Trump, who leads the Republican race for president by more than 30 points has been impeached twice over allegations of misconduct in office and was recently found liable for sexual abuse.

He faces indictment or ongoing scrutiny in four criminal probes -- in Washington, Florida, Georgia and New York -- and could find himself on trial in multiple cases as he campaigns to return to the White House.

The pugnacious billionaire, who turns 77 on Wednesday, continues to defend and even praise the rioters who ransacked the Capitol to halt the certification of the 2020 election, and has promised pardons for many if he is reelected.

Trump -- who has repeatedly complained that the investigations against him amount to a baseless "witch hunt" -- vowed Monday to appoint a special prosecutor on his return to office to investigate President Joe Biden and his family.

He appeared in court with strong backing from Republican voters, 81 percent of whom believe charges against the former president are politically motivated, according to a new Ipsos poll.

"In recent years we have seen the rise of politically-motivated prosecutors who don't care for impartiality, who don't care for due process or equal protection of laws," Trump lawyer Alina Habba told CNN.

"They have been quietly but aggressively cultivating a two-tiered system of justice where selective treatment is the norm."

Republican leaders in Congress and Trump's rivals for the party's presidential nomination have largely glossed over the gravity of the allegations, instead attacking the Justice Department.

The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc launched an ad Monday noting that an ongoing investigation into Biden's own handling of classified documents has not yielded an indictment.

The two cases bear few similarities as Biden is not accused of refusing to return classified documents or suspected of thwarting government attempts to recover them.

'An International Treasure': US Envoy's Praise For Ajit Doval

NEW DELHI, June 13: US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Tuesday praised National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, calling him an "international treasure".

Highlighting Ajit Doval's humble origins as a village boy from Uttarakhand, the envoy said, "India's NSA has not only become a national treasure but an international treasure".

The envoy also expressed admiration for the strong foundation between the United States and India.

"When I look at the foundation between the United States and India, it is so strong, it is so clear that Indians love Americans and Americans love Indians," Mr Garcetti said at the United States-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) meet in Delhi.

Praising India's advancements in digital payments and financial technology, the US Ambassador said: "When I look at digital payments and financial technology that India has, we have rocked the world. A 'tea wala' in a village makes sure that she gets direct payment from the government on her phone, a 100 per cent of each one of those rupees."

He said he recently had dinner with a group of multi-faith leaders in India, one of them said "We hear all these talks about 4G, 5G and 6G, but here in India we have something more powerful than that-'Guruji'.

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor of the US Jake Sullivan who is on a two-day India visit on Tuesday met his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Sullivan is accompanied by a delegation of senior US government officials and leaders of US industry during his visit. His visit to the national capital comes in the run-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming state visit to the US.

The two national security advisers had restricted discussions earlier in the day to discuss topics of common interest. Later that day, they both attended the second Track 1.5 discourse on it, which the Confederation of Indian Industry hosted.

The first edition of this dialogue was organised by the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC on January 30 this year, the release of Ministry of External Affairs said.

During the visit, NSA Sullivan will also meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other dignitaries of the Government of India, the official press release of the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Earlier, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met each other in New Delhi and discussed Indo-Pacific, and cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military and aerospace domains.

According to government officials, the two leaders also spoke on the greater transfer of technology, co-production and building indigenous capacities in line with India's Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

Additionally, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and NSA Ajit Doval stressed that nations in several regions, including the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, and the Indo-Pacific retain their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and are not coerced into poor choices.

Austin, who arrived in India concluded a roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Donald Trump Indicted On 37 Counts In Classified Documents Case

WASHINGTON, June 9: Former US president Donald Trump is facing 37 counts in the Mar-a-Lago documents case, according to the unsealed indictment released Friday, with federal prosecutors accusing him of illegally keeping top secret files on US nuclear and defense programs.

The Justice Department said that when he left the White House in January 2021, Trump took with him highly classified files from the Pentagon, CIA, National Security Agency and other intelligence bodies.

Trump kept them unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago residence and club in Florida, which regularly hosted large social events involving tens of thousands of guests, according to the indictment filed in federal court in Florida.

And at least on two occasions, Trump showed classified documents on US military operations and plans to people not cleared to see them at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club.

The documents Trump took "included information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries, United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack," the indictment said.

"The unauthorized disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States," it said.

Trump was charged with 37 counts including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, corruptly concealing documents, and false statements.

The charges, brought by Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith, bring up to 20 years in prison each.

A Trump aide, Walt Nauta, was charged with six counts for helping Trump hide the documents.

Modi’s US visit will be looked as real springboard: Top Pentagon official

WASHINGTON, June 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States (US) will set new benchmarks in the India-US defence relationship and bring the two closer on issues of co-production and co-development in unprecedented ways, a top Pentagon official in charge of Indo-Pacific has said.

Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary of Indo-Pacific security affairs in the department of defense, who accompanied Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during his visit to New Delhi earlier this week, said that a strong India that was capable of defending its interests and sovereignty, exported security to the wider region, and worked together with US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific was crucial for US’s own interests.

Ratner has also said there was a “revolutionary transition” underway within the US system to ease up on export control barriers and America will go to the “outer bounds” of what was possible to achieve this in order to boost defence cooperation. India and the US concluded their first strategic trade dialogue on the issue of export controls on June 6, with foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra leading the talks from the Indian side.

Ratner was in conversation with Lisa Curtis, former senior director of the National Security Council during the Donald Trump presidency at the Centre for New American Security in Washington DC on Thursday morning eastern time.

Countering skepticism about how efforts at boosting the defence relationship have faltered in the past, Ratner said, “I know there have been efforts at this in the past. Sometimes there is skepticism about is it going to be real. My answer is that all signs are pointing towards yes. It is going to be real. We are going to have big historic announcements in terms of particular projects around defence industrial cooperation.” The US is expected to green light a major GE project to produce jet engines in India during the visit.

Ratner said that a major thrust of the bilateral defence relationship, which is based on an “increasing strategic alignment” and a “shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific”, is the ongoing US effort to support India’s military modernisation and integration of the defence industrial bases of the two countries through co-production and co-development, which was a clear priority for Modi.

“And that is based upon the belief that a stronger India that can defend its own interests, defend its sovereignty is good for US. A stronger India that can contribute to regional security out of US co-production and co-development..is good for the US. A stronger US-India partnership where we are operating more together in the Indian Ocean, in the South China Sea, possibly even in the western Pacific, that’s in the US interest. A stronger US-India partnership that’s integrated with Japan, Australia, Philippines and partners in Southeast Asia, that’s in the interest of the US. When I stack that up, I see a lot of mutual benefit that we are deriving from that relationship and we are putting our shoulders into it,” Ratner said in response to a question about a recent piece that suggested India will not step up to assist the US in case of a crisis with China.

Pointing out that the initiative on critical and emerging technologies, unveiled by the two countries this January, had a major defence cooperation element, Ratner said that Austin’s visit to Delhi was also meant to firm up deliverables for the Modi visit. “It will be a historic visit, setting a new benchmark in the relationship. People will be looking back at this visit as a real springboard for the relationship.” He also referred to increased operational coordination in the Indian Ocean, undersea domain, cyber, space, and information-sharing and termed the transformation of the bilateral relationship “unbelievable.”

Responding to a question on export controls, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which has often inhibited American defence cooperation with allies and partners, Ratner acknowledged that translating aspirations into reality required “hard government work…to change bureaucratic processes and culture around these questions of how we are sharing information and technology”.

Suggesting that the US government was in the middle of a major transition on the issue, Ratner said, “We are transitioning from a period in which there was a presumption of denial when it came to sharing America’s most-closely held technologies to a recognition that…knitting together our defence industrial bases is such an imperative for the alliances, for the US and for regional security that it can’t be business as usual.”

This, Ratner suggested, had led to the senior US leadership directing the system to look at things differently and even though it may still not be possible to share all technologies, the US will go to the “outer bounds” in terms of risk-taking. This was needed for AUKUS (the Australia-United Kingdom-US nuclear submarine deal), for the US-Japan, and the US-India relationship.

“We are in the middle of a revolutionary change inside the US system as it relates to functional parts of bureaucracy. It is hard work. It will be slower than we want. But the demand signal is strong. We are going to see unprecedented results as soon as PM Modi arrives in Washington. There is a commitment to break down those barriers as much as we can.”

US announces $2.1 billion arms package for Ukraine

WASHINGTON, June 9: The United States on Friday announced a $2.1-billion military aid package for Ukraine, just as Kyiv appeared to be opening its long-awaited counter-offensive aimed at driving Russia from the country.

The package included missiles for Patriot air defense systems, artillery rounds, drones and laser-guided rocket system munitions.

The new arms, illustrate "the continued commitment to both Ukraine's critical near-term capabilities as well as the enduring capacity of Ukraine's Armed Forces to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the long term," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Former US Vice-President Mike Pence Announces 2024 Presidential Run

WASHINGTON, June 7: Mike Pence announced Wednesday his entry into the 2024 United States presidential election, as the former vice president goes up against his ex-boss Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.

The evangelical Christian is scheduled to appear at a campaign launch event the same day in the early-voting state of Iowa -- joining an already crowded field that includes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump's closest competition.

"Today, before God and my family, I'm announcing I'm running for president of the United States," he said in an online campaign video.

Pence's announcement comes two days after papers filed with the US Federal Election Commission showed he had formally entered the race.

"I believe in the American people, and I have faith God is not done with America yet," the 64-year-old wrote in a tweet accompanying the video.

"Together, we can bring this Country back, and the best days for the Greatest Nation on Earth are yet to come!"

Pence honed his reputation as an unstintingly loyal vice president who stuck with Trump throughout a scandal-plagued four years in the White House, and brought the religious right into the tent.

But he became a pariah in Trumpworld after rejecting the Republican leader's demands that he overturn the 2020 election in his role as president of the Senate.

Berated constantly by Trump after Joe Biden's election victory -- and even heckled at a conservative conference with chants of "traitor!" -- Pence continued to praise the tycoon in public.

That changed after Trump's torrent of false claims of election fraud led to a mob chanting for Pence to be hanged at the US Capitol.

Pence announced his presidential run a day after former New Jersey governor Chris Christie joined the contest.

Former governors Nikki Haley and Asa Hutchinson are also in the race, while North Dakota's chief executive Doug Burgum is also due to announce on Wednesday.

Polls show Trump as the overwhelming early front runner, regularly posting leads on DeSantis in excess of 30 points. None of the other candidates is achieving double figures.

But the former president is facing multiple criminal investigations into his personal and professional conduct that have already yielded dozens of felony charges in New York.

'Look Forward To Once Again Address Joint Meeting Of US Congress': Modi

NEW DELHI, June 6: India is proud of its Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the US that is built upon the foundation of shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties and an unwavering commitment to global peace and prosperity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks in a tweet while thanking House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for the invitation to address a joint meeting of the US Congress during his visit to the country later this month.

"Thank you @SpeakerMcCarthy, @LeaderMcConnell, @SenSchumer, and @RepJeffries for the gracious invitation. I am honored to accept and look forward to once again address a Joint Meeting of the Congress," Prime Minister Modi said on Twitter.

"We are proud of our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the US, built upon the foundation of shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and an unwavering commitment to global peace and prosperity," he said.

Prime Minister Modi will address a joint session of the US Congress on June 22 during his official state visit to the country. He will share his vision of India's future and speak on the global challenges facing the two countries, top congressional leaders had announced on Friday.

President Joe Biden will host Prime Minister Modi for an official state visit to the US, which will include a state dinner, on June 22.

"On behalf of the bipartisan leadership of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, it is our honour to invite you (Prime Minister Modi) to address a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday, June 22," the congressional leaders had said in a statement.

This will be the second time that Prime Minister Modi will address a joint meeting of the US Congress after June 2016.

Modi's upcoming address to the joint meeting of the US Congress is historic, officials said, noting that he is the first Indian prime minister to do so twice.

Globally in this respect, as a head of state or government, Modi is second only to Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu who has addressed the US Congress thrice, they said.

This honour bestowed on Prime Minister shows the bipartisan respect and support for him in the US, they said.

India-US Partnership Cornerstone Of Free, Open Indo-Pacific, Says US Defence Secretary

NEW DELHI, June 5: India and the US have a unique role in preserving the rules-based global order, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday while citing "bullying and coercion" by China and Russian aggression against Ukraine.

After holding wide-ranging talks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh here, Austin said that the US government is putting its "full weight" behind supporting India's defence modernisation.

Describing the US-India relationship as one of the most "consequential" ones, Austin said the partnership is a "cornerstone" for a free and open Indo-Pacific and that the growing military cooperation between the two "great powers" can be a force for global good.

The US is "absolutely committed" to "our historic investment" in ensuing technology cooperation with India, the US defence secretary said at a media briefing.

In their talks, Austin and Singh concluded an ambitious roadmap for defence-industrial cooperation to fast-track technology tie-ups and co-production of military platforms such as air combat and land systems.

"I can tell you that the US government is putting our full weight behind supporting India's defence modernisation. I look forward to continuing to work with Minister Singh going forward," Austin said.

In his comments to the media, the US defence secretary spoke about various dimensions of the growing defence and strategic cooperation between India and the US and its significance in the current geo-political scenario.

"This all matters because we all face a rapidly changing world. We see bullying and coercion from the People's Republic of China and Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders by force and threatens national sovereignty, as well as transnational threats such as terrorism and climate change," he said.

His remarks come amid rising tension in the Taiwan Strait where a Chinese naval ship cut sharply across the path of an American destroyer on Saturday, forcing the US vessel to slow to avoid a collision.

The US defence secretary also rejected China's allegations that the US was trying to establish an Asian NATO in the Indo-Pacific.

"We are absolutely not trying to establish a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) in the Indo-Pacific. We continue to work with like-minded countries to ensure that the region remains free and open," he said.

China has been very critical about the Quad comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia and calls the coalition an Asian NATO.

Austin said the US-India global strategic partnership has continued to rapidly grow.

"As the world's two largest democracies, India and the US have a unique role in preserving the rules-based international order that keeps us all secure," he said.

"Today, the US-India partnership is a cornerstone for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our deepening bond shows how technological innovation and growing military cooperation between two great powers can be a force for global good," he added.

The US Defence Secretary said he and Mr Singh have taken new steps to further strengthen the bilateral defence cooperation.

"We established an ambitious new roadmap for defence industrial cooperation with a fast-track (and) high-priority for co-development and co-production projects and to build closer ties between our defence industries," he said.

Austin said democracies must now rally together to protect common interests and shared values.

"Preserving and protecting freedom are essential to peace and prosperity and require vigorous leadership from the US and India. So we still have a lot of work to do," he said.

"I am confident that the US-India partnership will help secure an open and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific and the wider world," he said.

The US Defence Secretary also noted that there is an increasing desire on the part of the US to share defence technology with India.

"We are careful about guarding our technology. We only share technologies with countries that we absolutely believe in and trust. There is an increasing desire for us to share with partners here in India," Austin said.

"If you look at some of the things that we are working on, I would describe it as certainly consequential in terms of the kind of things we are doing and work is going on. There are opportunities to increase capacity, increase capability," he said.

"We remain encouraged that India has continued to diversify its equipment over the past decade and we are looking forward to continuing to work with them to increase additional capabilities," he said.

The Pentagon said the new roadmap aims to change the "paradigm" for cooperation between the US and Indian defence sectors, including the implementation of a set of specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support its defence modernisation plans.

The India-US defence and strategic ties have been on an upswing in the last few years.

The two countries have inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

The two sides also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India.

In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties.

The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries.

Ex US Vice President To Challenge Former Boss Trump In 2024 President Poll

WASHINGTRON, June 6: Republican former vice president Mike Pence has launched his hotly-anticipated challenge to his one-time boss Donald Trump for the party's 2024 White House nomination, papers filed with the US Federal Election Commission showed Monday.

The 63-year-old evangelical Christian was scheduled to kick off his presidential campaign officially on Wednesday with a video in the early voting state of Iowa, joining an already crowded field.

Pence will then make his pitch to the nation at a live televised town hall event at 9:00 pm (0100 GMT Thursday), setting up the unusual scenario of two former running mates becoming rivals.

The former vice president spent his 2017-21 tenure as vice president by Trump's side, honing his reputation as an unwaveringly loyal deputy who brought the religious right into the tent and who was willing to defend the president against any accusation.

But he became a pariah in Trumpworld after rejecting the Republican leader's demands that he overturn the 2020 election in his role as president of the Senate.

Berated constantly by Trump after Joe Biden's victory -- and even heckled with chants of "traitor!" at a conservative conference in Florida -- Pence had continued to praise his assailant in public.

That eventually changed as Trump's torrent of false claims of election fraud led to a mob chanting for Pence to be hanged at the US Capitol.

Since the riot, Pence has called out Trump for endangering his family and other people at the Capitol, and has emphasized his differences with Trump on issues ranging from the handling of Russian leader Vladimir Putin to abortion rights.

US Averts First-Ever Default As Congress Passes Debt Deal

WASHINGTON, June 2: US senators voted to suspend the federal debt limit Thursday, capping weeks of fraught negotiations to eliminate the threat of a disastrous credit default just four days ahead of the deadline set by the Treasury.

Economists had warned the country could run out of money to pay its bills by Monday -- leaving almost no room for delays in enacting the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which extends the government's borrowing authority through 2024 while trimming federal spending.

Hammered out between Democratic President Joe Biden and the Republicans, the bipartisan measure passed the Senate with a comfortable majority of 63 votes to 36 a day after it had sailed through the House of Representatives.

"America can breathe a sigh of relief because in this process we are avoiding default. From the start, avoiding default has been our North Star," Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

"The consequences of defaulting would be catastrophic... But, for all the ups and downs and twists and turns it took to get here, it is so good for this country that both parties have come together at last to avoid default."

The bill -- which now heads to Biden's desk to be signed into law -- ended a day of intense back-and-forth between party leaders and rank-and-file members who had threatened the bill's quick passage with last-minute gripes about the detail.

Democratic leaders had spent months underlining the havoc that a first default in history would have wrought, including the loss of millions of jobs and $15 trillion in household wealth, as well as increased costs for mortgages and other borrowing.

The late evening drama came after a series of failed ballots on amendments sought mainly by Republicans who were threatening at one point to hold up the process, dragging it deep into the weekend.

Senators elected to offer 11 tweaks to the 99-page text, many objecting to funding levels for their pet projects -- from border control and Chinese trade to taxation and the environment -- and each requiring a vote.

Defense hawks upset at Pentagon spending being capped at Biden's budget request of $886 billion threatened at one point to derail the bill's passage entirely.

In the end they fell in line after being offered a commitment to a separate bill providing cash for Ukraine's defense against the Russian invasion, and promoting US national security interests in the Middle East and in the face of Chinese aggression against Taiwan.

"As currently written, this bill puts our military behind the eight ball... The first and most important dollars we allocate each year in the budget are those to protect and defend the United States and our interests," said South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham.

America spends more money than it collects through taxation, so it borrows money via the issuing of government bonds, seen as among the world's most reliable investments.

Around 80 years ago, lawmakers introduced a limit on how much federal debt could be accrued.

The ceiling has been raised more than 100 times since to allow the government to meet its spending commitments -- usually without drama and with the support of Democrats and Republicans -- and stands at around $31.5 trillion.

Both parties see raising the debt limit as politically toxic, although they acknowledge that failure to do so would plunge the US economy into a depression and roil world markets as the government missed debt repayments.

Republicans hoped to weaponize the extension to campaign against what they see as Democratic overspending ahead of the 2024 presidential election, although hikes in the debt ceiling only cover commitments already made by both parties.

Kevin McCarthy, the top lawmaker in the Republican-led House, had touted the bill he spent weeks negotiating as a big victory for conservatives, although he faced a backlash from hardliners on the right who said he had made too many concessions on spending cuts.

He fell one short of the 150 votes -- two thirds of his caucus -- he had promised to deliver in the lower chamber as he fought to quell a right-wing rebellion, and needed Democratic help to advance the bill to the Senate.

On the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, the vote was being touted as a major victory for Biden, who managed to protect almost all of his domestic priorities from deep cuts threatened by Republicans.

US House votes to suspend debt ceiling

WASHINGTON, June 1: US lawmakers voted Wednesday to raise the national borrowing limit as a crucial first step to averting a catastrophic default, greenlighting a pact struck between Washington's warring parties after weeks of brinkmanship and fraught backroom deal-making.

Hammered out between Democratic President Joe Biden and the Republicans in the House of Representatives, the measure suspends the debt ceiling through 2024, slightly cutting government spending next year.

"Passing the Fiscal Responsibility Act is a crucial first step for putting America back on track," said Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in Congress.

"It does what is responsible for our children, what is possible in divided government, and what is required by our principles and promises."

Biden hailed the 314-117 vote as a "critical step" to protecting the country's post-pandemic economic recovery that had been achieved through "bipartisan compromise."

The drama capped a tense few days on Capitol Hill, with the Treasury expecting to run out of the money as soon as Monday.

The Republican majority in the House needed help from dozens of Democrats to fend off a right-wing rebellion -- 71 conservatives voted no -- and advance the deal to the Senate, which is expected to follow suit by the end of the week.

McCarthy's lieutenants had spent the final hours frantically whipping votes, as senior Democrats vowed that their members would put the nation's finances above the temptation to give the opposition a bloody nose.

"The consequences of slipping past the deadline would reverberate across the world and take years to recover from," Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democratic-led Senate, warned ahead of the lower chamber's vote.

"Remember, a default would almost certainly trigger another recession, send costs soaring, kill millions of jobs -- hardworking people thrown out of work through no fault of their own."

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the proposed spending limits for 2024 and 2025 would trim nearly $1.5 trillion from projected federal budget deficits over the next decade. The total debt is more than $31 trillion.

The vote was the result of weeks of on-off talks between the McCarthy and Biden teams, with Democrats accusing Republicans of holding the economy "hostage" by insisting on spending cuts to accompany the hike in the borrowing cap.

Fiscal hawks on the right of Congress have accused the White House of pushing unsustainable spending programs and say negotiating the future budget must be a condition of hiking the limit, which covers debts already incurred.

The high drama seen in recent debt ceiling and budget fights was absent however as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had been open that his members would provide enough votes to ensure the bill was never in danger.

But it was a high wire act for McCarthy, whose job would have been on the line had the majority of his members rejected the pact, only to see it pushed through anyway.

Securing 149 Republican votes -- roughly two-thirds of his caucus -- allows McCarthy to project strength in his bid to face down criticism from the Republican right, which has accused him of capitulating to the White House by not demanding steeper cuts.

Some hardliners have openly mused about using a new power granted by McCarthy as part of his pitch for the speakership in January to call for snap vote to oust him.