Ahead of talks Modi, Obama say 'Chalein saath saath'

India and the US on Monday released a statement of their shared intent - called 'Chalein saath, saath' - to forge a partnership that will be a model for the rest of the world. US should not repeat Iraq-like mistake in Afghanistan: Modi | Full text: Indo-US statement

India and the United States on Monday released a statement of their shared intent - called "Chalein saath, saath" - to forge a partnership that will be a model for the rest of the world.

The statement was issued as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the White House for a dinner hosted by President Barack Obama.

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"We have a vision that the United States and India will have a transformative relationship as trusted partners in the 21st century," said the paper, "Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go".

It read a bit like a joint statement, but was minus the officialese of one and, crucially, came ahead of the talks, instead of after, as the densely worded documents do typically.

Full text: Vision statement for the US-India strategic partnership

"As leaders of two great democratic nations with diverse traditions and faiths, we share a vision for a partnership in which the United States and India work together, not just for the benefit of both our nations, but for the benefit of the world," the statement said.

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"Together, we will combat terrorist threats and keep our homelands and citizens safe from attacks, while we respond expeditiously to humanitarian disasters and crises, it added.

Later, Modi met Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other key US officials at the White House for a private dinner, ahead of formal talks in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Modi, Obama write joint editorial

US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have for the first time interacted digitally to come out with a joint editorial.



External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson said both Prime Minister Modi and President Obama have written a joint editorial in a US newspaper to be published Tuesday.



Officials on both sides have been very secretive about the joint op-ed and have not even disclosed the name of the newspaper that will publish it.

Asked how the two leaders collaborated to write the joint editorial, he said both PM Modi and President Obama are great votaries of digital diplomacy and therefore, it was very easy to digitally interact.

Asked if both the leaders were so active digitally why there was no exchange between the two on cyber space, he said "wait and watch".

He also said that this was for the first time that an Indian leader has ventured on the path of a joint editorial. Modi had written an editorial in Wall Street Journal before he headed to the US.

(With agency inputs)