PM Modi delivers big message on renewable energy on sidelines of UNGA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the India-Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting on September 24 in New York. At the meeting, PM Modi expressed his happiness over the organisation of the meeting. PM Modi said, “It is a matter of happiness that this meet has been organised. India has friendly relations with all, we are important partners in each others’ development. I welcome all the leaders and delegations.”

PM Modi expressed India's readiness to share its experiences

According to the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, PM Modi called for an increasing share of renewable energy in the total energy mix to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. As per the statement, PM Modi also expressed India’s readiness to share its experiences in developing alternate energy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi additionally expressed his satisfaction as many countries from the region have joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and invited others to join this initiative, as per the statement. 

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Attending the meeting were the Heads of delegations of India, Fiji, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Nauru, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Independent State of Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu & Republic of Vanuatu.

What did the MEA say about the India-Pacific Islands Leaders' Meeting? 

Raveesh Kumar, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs in India, shared a picture of Prime Minister Modi with the Heads of Delegation of Pacific Island Countries (PICs). 

The MEA statement said India’s relationship with Pacific Island nations has deepened with the evolution of Act East Policy, resulting in the setting up of the action-oriented Forum for India–Pacific Island Cooperation (FIPIC). The first and second editions of the FIPIC took place in Fiji (2015) and Jaipur (2016). During the FIPIC Summits, Prime Minister articulated India’s desire to be a close partner of the Pacific Island nations and its readiness to work closely to advance their developmental agenda. This is the first time Prime Minister has met the leaders of the PSIDS on the margins of UNGA in plurilateral format. The statement added that in the spirit of his fundamental Mantra "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas (together with all, for the development of all and with the trust of all) PM Modi announced allocation of US$ 12 million grant (US$ 1 million to each PSIDS) towards implementation of high impact developmental project in the area of their choice. 

It was first of the two plurilateral meetings which are scheduled to take place during PM Modi's week-long official visit to the United States. "For us, it (the meeting) is important because these have been the countries that are vulnerable, with which we have been doing a lot in terms of development assistance and which now play a role in our Indo-Pacific vision," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had said during a special briefing earlier in the day.

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India-US bilateral meet

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a bilateral meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The issues of trade and terror were discussed extensively by both leaders. Speaking about negotiations over a trade deal with India, President Trump said, “We are doing very well, and I think very soon we will have a trade deal. We’ll have a larger deal down the road in a little bit but we will have a trade deal very soon.”

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