India-US Relations

Trump appreciates India for releasing American pastor
US President Donald Trump has appreciated India for listening to his request to release an American pastor who was arrested last October on charges of carrying USD 40,000 of undeclared currency.

Tennessee pastor Bryan Nerren, who was released by India after intervention from Trump this May, attended a roundtable with the President in the Oval Office of the White House along with several other American citizens who were released from overseas abductions and detentions.

“India responded very well to my request. Appreciate that,” Trump said as he appeared in a taped meeting with a group of US citizens who were abducted or detained overseas and the Trump Administration helped them to return home.

The taped roundtable was broadcast during the first night of the four-day Republican National Convention on Monday.

In his brief remarks, Nerren explained that he had been arrested by the Indian officials while travelling in the country.

Nerren from the International House of Prayer Ministries was arrested in Bagdogra, West Bengal, last October on charges of travelling with USD 40,000 of undeclared currency.

Among others who appeared along with Trump were Michael White, a US Navy veteran, who was arrested in July 2018 while visiting his girlfriend in Iran, and Sam Goodwin, a world traveller who entered northern Syria from Iraq on May 25, 2019 and was taken into custody for failure to have a visa.

Others who appeared on the video were Andrew Brunson, a pastor, accused of being part of a terrorist group, the Gulen movement, and was arrested on October 7, 2016, by Turkey and Joshua and Tamara Holt, arrested in Venezuela shortly after their wedding and accused of stockpiling weapons.

Each of them briefly recounted their stories and thanked President Trump for his efforts to secure their freedom.

Trump's intervention to release Pastor Nerren came after Christian leaders from Tennessee and US lawmakers mounted a campaign for his release with both India and his administration.

In February, Rhonda J Nerren wrote a letter to Trump seeking the release of her husband Pastor Nerren. The President is believed to have taken up the issue during his visit to India in February.

Nerren was arrested in October 2019 and charged with violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act for travelling with USD 40,000 of undeclared currency. On October 11, he was released on bail.

On December 31, 2019, Indian Customs issued a showcause order confiscating the USD 40,000 and imposing a penalty of Rs 3 lakh (roughly USD 4,000).

In January, Nerren surrendered the entire amount and paid the fine. On May 15, 2020, after months of diplomatic efforts, Nerren was released and allowed to return home. PTI
www.tribuneindia.com

Trump appreciates India for releasing American pastor

Tennessee pastor Bryan Nerren, who was released by India after intervention from Trump this May, attended a roundtable with the President in the White House US President Donald Trump has appreciated India for listening to his request to release an American pastor who was arrested last October on...
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India, US likely to sign MISTA during 2+2 meeting on 26-27 October​


By Srinjoy Chowdhury | National Affairs Editor
Updated Oct 15, 2020 | 10:01 IST

India and the United States are likely to sign the MISTA or the Maritime Information Sharing Technical Arrangement during the 2+2 meeting on 26-27 October.
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Flags of India and the US | Photo Credit: ANI

New Delhi: The signing of MISTA, which will make information and importantly, intelligence sharing much easier, could be the centrepiece of the meeting this year. This would be particularly so, as the name suggests, with naval intelligence. India, at least, is ready to sign the agreement: a decision has already been taken by the government.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the US Secretary of Defence, Mark Esper, will be flying to Delhi this year. The meeting, interestingly, is just before the US Presidential elections on November 3. They will be meeting with their Indian counterparts, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

There was some initial discussion about having a virtual 2+2, but now it appears that unless there's a crisis of some sort, including one that is Covid-19 related, both US leaders will be here.

There is an effort to go ahead with BECA or the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement about the sharing of geospatial information, but it is not certain that the internal discussions in India, most certainly and perhaps, in the United States will be completed by then.

The two countries had signed the Industrial Security Annex during an earlier 2+2 meeting. The regional situation will certainly be discussed. The Americans have been making statements about the situation in East Ladakh and the meeting itself would be something Beijing would notice. A discussion on cross border terrorism is likely.

Shortly after the meeting, India, the United States, Japan and most probably, Australia, will join hands for the Malabar naval exercise. That is likely at the end of November in the Indian Ocean.

www.timesnownews.com

[Exclusive] India, US likely to sign MISTA during 2+2 meeting on 26-27 October

India and the United States are likely to sign the MISTA or the Maritime Information Sharing Technical Arrangement during the 2+2 meeting on 26-27 October.
www.timesnownews.com www.timesnownews.com

The names of the agreements. :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
STEPHEN COHEN said:
m.hindustantimes.com

BECA done, fighters and armed drones next as India turns US positive

2+2 India-US dialogue: External affairs minister S Jaishankar had set the tone for the strategic dialogue early in the day when he stressed that India and the United States could together “make a real difference” in dealing with regional and global challenges
m.hindustantimes.com m.hindustantimes.com

This Article talks of F 15 EX for IAF
Click to expand...

There were rumours about India buying a small number of American jets, and most of those were centered around 36 SHs for the navy. So it's possible that it may be the F-15EX instead.

@Lolwa's and @Hydra's dreams may come true.

But I'd still take it with a pinch of salt.
 
randomradio said:
There were rumours about India buying a small number of American jets, and most of those were centered around 36 SHs for the navy. So it's possible that it may be the F-15EX instead.

@Lolwa's and @Hydra's dreams may come true.

But I'd still take it with a pinch of salt.
Click to expand...

What happens to the Rafales then ? We would keep it capped to just 36 ? In a few years this fleet would be a nightmare to maintain.
Also the F-15 falls in the Su-30's class !! Either way the IAF's inventory is fuc**d. Then the Navy would get either Rafales or F-18s. 😒

I think if we are going for F-15s we should go all the way. Get not a few but hundreds of them. The same with Rafales, just 36 makes no sense. I don't see a way out of this quagmire without some drastic steps.
 
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