PM Modi Thanks Obama For Supporting India's UNSC Bid

The Prime Minister’s visit reinforced the optimism that after the hiatus in the last three years of the Manmohan Singh government, India-U.S ties are finally progressing in the right direction, though many gaps remain, particularly on economic relations. The Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, at which Ministers Sushma Swaraj and Nirmal Sitharaman led the Indian delegation last week, revealed that the convergence on strategic issues was not matched in trade relations between the two countries. The point was underlined by the US Commerce secretary Penny Pritzker, who asked for a “laser-like focus” on the common goal of a five-fold increase in the trade. India is only the 10th largest trading for the US, and the 18th biggest market for US exports. The US wants more market access, and less red tape. Modi wants more U.S money in India, more Make in India, more jobs in India. The $2.5 billion contract for Chinooks and Apaches that India cleared in time for the Modi visit after several years of the deal being in the works underlined both the challenges and the prospects for US business. Read Here