What the Obama-Modi talks finally boiled down to: Tackling China, climate change

Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the entire gamut of issues of bilateral interest with US President Barrack Obama on Monday, an agenda which also included multilateral issues of common interest. But two issues which he dwelt upon need to be highlighted.

One pertains to the global problem of climate change. The other one is a larger,long term strategic issue of China and its rivalry with Japan.

On the issue of climate change, PM Modi talked about the upcoming Paris Conference in December which is expected to set international standards and fix responsibilities for governments in combating climate change problems and seeking specific commitments from them.

India is yet to announce its CBDRs (Common but Differentiated Responsibilities), while major powers, including China, have done that already. India is expected to announce its CBDRs in October.

The Indian case is that countries like the US, all developed countries and a developing country like China are much to be blamed for the present climate change woes and therefore they should bear the brunt for the money and technology needed to reverse this trend.

India’s considered opinion is that it is for the developed world to provide technology at affordable prices to the developing world to reverse bad effects of climate change and give ample time to the developing world to use indigenous and innovative means to deal with the problem.

PM Modi, therefore, elaborately explained his government’s approach in this regard.

“The President and I share an uncompromising commitment on climate change, without affecting our ability to meet the development aspirations of humanity. We have both set ambitious national agendas. In India, our measures include not just a plan to add 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, but a development strategy that will enable us to transition to a more sustainable energy mix.

“This is an exercise we are undertaking in the spirit of our culture and tradition, but also because of our commitment to the future of this planet. Our extraordinary bilateral partnership in the energy sector focuses on clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency,” Modi said.

Modi also told Obama that he was waiting  for a positive response to his call for a global public partnership for developing affordable clean energy sources that will enable faster adoption across the world.

“We should work together to advance that goal. And, it is equally important to develop mechanisms to ensure that the affordable also become accessible to those who need it the most. We look forward to comprehensive and concrete outcome in Paris with a positive agenda on combating climate change, which also focuses on access to finance and technology for the developing world, especially the poor countries and small island states,” Modi said .

On strategic aspects, Modi told Obama that the India-US defence cooperation, including defence trade and training, was expanding and the two countries had just had a dialogue on cyber security.

The two sides have increased their cooperation even as existing terrorism threats were growing and new ones were emerging. Modi also catered to the US concern about tackling the rise of China when he specifically mentioned Japan,  a military ally of the US.

“I welcomed the progress in giving shape to our Joint Strategic Vision on Asia, Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions as also our joint engagement with regional partners like Japan. This will also strengthen our maritime security cooperation,” Modi said.

This is a major gesture from Modi to the US as the Americans are most concerned about China and its shenanigans in the South China Sea. Incidentally, when Obama had visited India in January this year, the two countries had for the first time issued a separate statement on the South China Sea developments.

Modi’s mention of Japan in his on-record conversation with Obama will please the Americans and inevitably ring a bell in Beijing. This is a bold move. One will have to wait and watch to see how China responds to this and how it is going to affect India-China ties.