G20 Summit 2023: Key takeaways from US President Joe Biden’s India visit

After attending the G20 Summit in India, US President Joe Biden on Sunday departed for Vietnam to expand ties between the two nations. Biden will meet Vietnamese General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trọng and other key leaders to discuss ways to further deepen cooperation between the two nations. 

In an official statement on September 6, the US Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam said, “President Joseph R Biden Jr will travel to Hanoi, Vietnam on September 10, 2023.”

“While in Hanoi, President Biden will meet with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other key leaders to discuss ways to further deepen cooperation between the United States and Vietnam,” the statement read. 

During his visit to Vietnam, the two leaders will explore opportunities to promote the growth of a technology-focused and innovation-driven Vietnamese economy, expand people-to-people ties through education exchanges and workforce development programs, combat climate change, and increase peace, prosperity, and stability in the region, ANI reported. 

As Biden departs for Vietnam, here is a look at the key takeaways of his 3-day visit to India, which included a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During his visit to Delhi, Biden attended the G20 Summit under India's Presidency. 

Biden said that the G20 Summit held in India proved that the group can still drive solutions to "most pressing issues." He noted that the global economy is suffering from overlapping shocks of the climate crisis. 

Sharing a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the US President stated, “At a moment when the global economy is suffering from the overlapping shocks of the climate crisis, fragility, and conflict, this year’s Summit proved that the G20 can still drive solutions to our most pressing issues.”

At the G20 Summit, India, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.  Biden called it a "game-changing" regional investment.

Biden said that this project is about more than just laying tracks. "I'm proud to announce that the US, India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, France, Germany, Italy and EU finalized a historic agreement for a new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor," the US President posted on X.

"This project is about more than just laying tracks. This is a game-changing regional investment," he added.

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "promises to be a beacon of cooperation, innovation, and shared progress." The corridor, according to him, is evidence of human endeavour and unity across continents.

“Charting a journey of shared aspirations and dreams, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor promises to be a beacon of cooperation, innovation and shared progress. As history unfolds, may this corridor be a testament to human endeavour and unity across continents,” PM Modi wrote on ‘X’ formerly Twitter on Saturday.

PM Modi made the announcement for the ambitious project on the sidelines of the G20 Summit and was flanked by US President Joe Biden, Saudi Arabia Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and leaders of the EU. 

PM Modi on Saturday launched the Global Biofuels Alliance in the presence of US President Joe Biden, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Argentina President Alberto Fernandez and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The Global Biofuel Alliance is one of the priorities under India’s G20 Presidency. Brazil, India, and the United States, as leading biofuel producers and consumers, will work together during the next few months towards the development of a Global Biofuels Alliance along with other interested countries, as per ANI reports. 

On Friday, PM Modi and US President Joe Biden held a bilateral meeting. During the meeting, India and the US settled the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute. 

US President Biden and PM Modi welcomed the completion of the notification process regarding negotiations for a commercial agreement between GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautical Limited, the White House said in a statement.

The two leaders commended the progress in implementing the futuristic and wide-ranging outcomes of PM Modi's historic State visit to the US in June 2023, including under the India-U.S. Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

The India-US joint further said that the leaders also welcomed the sustained momentum in bilateral cooperation in the areas of defence, trade, investment, education, health, research, innovation, culture and people-to-people ties.

The two leaders also reiterated the importance of nuclear energy as a necessary resource to meet the climate, energy transition, and energy security needs of both nations. They also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen and diversify the India-US defence partnership through expanded cooperation in new and emerging domains such as space and artificial intelligence, and accelerated defence industrial collaboration.

PM Modi and US President Biden welcomed intensified consultations between the relevant entities on both sides to expand opportunities for facilitating India-US collaboration in nuclear energy, including in the development of next-generation small modular reactor technologies in a collaborative mode.

The US reaffirmed its support for India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and committed to continue engagement with like-minded partners to advance this goal. Biden welcomed the issuance of a Letter of Request from the Ministry of Defence to procure 31 General Atomics MQ-9B (16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian) remotely piloted aircraft and their associated equipment.

After the meeting, both the leaders lauded the India-US relations and said that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good.

“Happy to have welcomed @POTUS @JoeBidento 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Our meeting was very productive. We were able to discuss numerous topics which will further economic and people-to-people linkages between India and USA. The friendship between our nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good,” PM Modi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Apart from attending the G20 Summit and his bilateral meeting with PM Modi, Biden visited Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. He also attended the dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday night. Biden engaged with world leaders at the dinner organised at Bharat Mandapam. 

Biden also met with the US Embassy staffers and their families after arriving in New Delhi, the White House informed. In a post on X, the White House stated, “President Biden met with US Embassy staff and their families today after arriving in New Delhi.”