India-US ties break out of Trump’s shadow with first Modi-Biden phone call

By Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha President Joe Biden has signalled he would seek to deepen the close relationship between the United States and India in his first conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he added climate change and “democratic values” to the agenda.
Modi welcomed calls to collaborate on combating climate change and agreed to participate in a climate summit Biden will host in April, the White House said.
The late Monday phone conversation between the two leaders was part of the formal contacts between the new US administration and India’s top leadership that began last month. Both the leaders discussed their shared priorities and emphasised their commitment to a rules-based international order.
The US’ new President Joe Biden and India’s Prime Minister Modi will be ‘working closely’ in the coming months as the world continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. to work closely to fight COVID-19, renew their partnership on climate change and defend democratic institution and norms around the world, including in Myanmar. “The US and India will work closely together to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, renew their partnership on climate change, rebuild the global economy in a way that benefit the people of both countries, and stand together against the scourge of global terrorism,” said the White House press release.
The two leaders also reflagged a common geopolitical agenda, by renewing their support for a free and open Indo-Pacific, widely viewed as a doctrine to counter China’s muscle flexing in the Pacific, including the South China Sea as well as the Indian Ocean.
“The leaders agreed to continuing close cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, including support for freedom of navigation, territorial integrity, and a stronger regional architecture through the Quad,” the White House said in a statement.