In Meeting With PM Modi, US President Trump Moves To Counter China, Pakistan - Details

President Donald Trump said that the United States will be increasing its military sales to India by billions of dollars and his administration is paving the way to provide India with F35 Stealth fighters. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the most widely deployed fifth-generation fighter, integrates advanced stealth, unparalleled situational awareness and networked combat capabilities. With F-35 in its kitty, the Indian Air Force will be much stronger in countering any threat from China.

In a counter to China's Belt and Road initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, India has been mulling the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Now, Trump announced America's support for the IEMC, calling it one of the greatest trade routes. According to him, the corridor will extend from Israel to Italy and further to the United States, connecting roads, railways and undersea cables. The IMEC consists of an Eastern Corridor linking India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf to Europe. It will integrate railways, a ship-rail transit network, and road transport routes.

The India and China borders have been volatile for the last few years and despite the recent border disengagement deal, the two sides continue to maintain a strong vigil due to the trust deficit. Now, Trump has indirectly offered to pressure China to pull back. Trump seemingly offered to mediate an end to the border skirmishes between India and China. "I look at India, I do see the skirmishes on the border, which are quite vicious, and I guess they continue to go on...If I could be of help, I'd love to help, because that should be stopped. That's been going on for a long time, and it's quite violent."

In his first term, Trump had offered India help against Pakistan, but PM Modi has rejected it saying that New Delhi is capable of handling this. Now, Trump also issued a veiled warning to Pakistan. "Starting this year, we'll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars....In addition, the United States and India will be working together like never before to confront the threat of radical Islamic terrorism, a threat all over the world," said Trump.

Trump said he and PM Modi have reached an agreement on energy that will make the US a leading supplier of oil and gas to India. The discussions between the two leaders touched upon ways to further deepen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, with a focus on strategic technologies, as well as defence industrial cooperation and civil nuclear energy with an emphasis on small modular reactors, and counterterrorism.

US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of 'very evil' Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian probe agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

At his Oval Office in the White House on Thursday, Trump warmly welcomed Modi with a long handshake and a bear hug while describing the prime minister as a "great friend" for a long time and a "terrific" man.