US President Barack Obama and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged each other and called their countries “natural” partners as they strengthened defence ties and sought to unblock an agreement on US investment in nuclear power stations for India.
Mr Obama’s three-day visit to India, which began on Sunday when he embraced Mr Modi after stepping off Air Force One, is being hailed by both sides as a sign that the world’s two biggest democracies are overcoming their historical differences and embarking on a new era of strategic and commercial co-operation.
“The promise and potential of this relationship has never been in doubt,” Mr Modi told a joint news conference after talks with Mr Obama, whom he at times called by his first name, Barack. “This is a natural global partnership. It has become even more relevant in the digital age. It is needed even more in our world of far-reaching changes and widespread turmoil.”