During an official visit to the US, Indian Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi met with US President Barack Obama in the White House for their third major bilateral summit.
The two leaders reviewed the deepening strategic partnership between the US and India and pledged to pursue new opportunities to, inter alia, bolster economic growth and sustainable development.
The joint statement issued at the conclusion of their meeting addresses climate, clean energy, clean energy finance and sustainable development, among other issues.
7 June 2016: During an official visit to the US, Indian Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi met with US President Barack Obama in the White House for their third major bilateral summit. The two leaders reviewed the deepening strategic partnership between the US and India and pledged to pursue new opportunities to, inter alia, bolster economic growth and sustainable development. The joint statement issued at the conclusion of their meeting addresses climate, clean energy, clean energy finance and sustainable development, among other issues.
On advancing US-India global leadership on climate and clean energy, the joint statement indicates that the two countries “share common climate and clean energy interests” and are “close partners in the fight against climate change.” The two countries commit to promote the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and share the goal of enabling its entry into force as early as possible. The US reaffirms its commitment to join the Agreement as soon as possible in 2016, and India indicates it has begun its processes to work toward this objective.
In the joint statement, the two leaders reiterate their commitment to: pursue low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development strategies in the pre-2020 period; develop long-term low GHG emission development strategies; work to adopt an hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) amendment in 2016 under the Montreal Protocol, with increased financial support from donor countries to the Multilateral Fund; work together at the upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly to address GHG emissions from international aviation; and pursue under the G20 leadership “strong outcomes” to promote improved heavy-duty vehicle standards and efficiency in accordance with their national priorities and capabilities.
The two leaders welcome the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to Enhance Cooperation on Energy Security, Clean Energy and Climate Change, and of an MOU to enhance cooperation on Wildlife Conservation and Combating Wildlife Trafficking.
On clean energy finance, the US: supports India’s goals to install 175 GW of renewable power, including 100 GW from solar power; welcomes the launch of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and indicates it intends pursuing membership in the ISA; and remains committed, with other developed countries, to the goal of jointly mobilizing US$100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries cope with climate change.
In the joint statement, the two leaders state they will jointly launch the ISA’s third Initiative, to focus on off-grid solar for energy access at the Founding Conference of ISA in September 2016 in India. They also announce: the creation of a US$20 million US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) initiative, equally supported by the two countries, expected to mobilize up to US$400 million to provide clean and renewable electricity to up to one million households by 2020; commitment to establish the US-India Clean Energy Hub to coordinate the US Government’s efforts, in partnership with leading Indian financial institutions, aimed at increasing renewable energy investment in India; a US$40 million US-India Catalytic Solar Finance Program, equally supported by the two countries, which could mobilize up to US$1 billion of small-scale renewable energy projects; and the expansion of handholding support to Indian utilities that are scaling up rooftop solar and continuation of cooperation with USAID on ‘Greening the Grid.’
The two countries also indicate their commitment to the goals of Mission Innovation (MI), launched during the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UNFCCC in Paris, to double their respective clean energy research and development (R&D) investment in five years.
Finally, the joint statement also includes a section on global leadership, in which the two leaders reaffirm their commitment to implement the 2030 Agenda domestically and internationally, and work “in a collaborative partnership” for the effective achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [US and India Joint Statement] [Statement of the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General on the Joint Statement by the Governments of India and the US] [IISD RS Story on the Inaugural Meeting of Mission Innovation]