Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing legal mobility avenues for students and professionals while facilitating short-term tourist and business travel. The leaders acknowledged the significant contribution of the Indian student community in the US, which exceeds 300,000 individuals and generates over $8 billion annually for the American economy, also creating numerous direct and indirect jobs.
A joint statement issued after their bilateral meeting emphasized their shared commitment to combating illegal immigration and human trafficking by taking strong action against criminal facilitators and illegal immigration networks, ensuring mutual security for both nations.
“President Trump and Prime Minister Modi noted the importance of advancing the people-to-people ties between the two countries. In this context, they noted that the more than 300,000 strong Indian student community contributes over $8 billion annually to the U.S. economy and helped create a number of direct and indirect jobs. They recognized that the talent flow and movement of students, researchers, and employees has mutually benefitted both countries,” the statement said.
Recognizing the role of international academic collaboration in driving innovation, improving learning outcomes, and developing a future-ready workforce, the two leaders resolved to strengthen cooperation between higher education institutions. Their efforts include promoting joint/dual degree and twinning programs, establishing Centers of Excellence, and enabling premier US educational institutions to set up offshore campuses in India.
Additionally, both leaders vowed to bolster law enforcement cooperation to counter illegal immigration networks, organized crime syndicates, narco-terrorists, human and arms traffickers, and other threats to public and diplomatic security, as well as the sovereignty of both nations.
“Both leaders emphasized that the evolution of the world into a global workplace calls for putting in place innovative, mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks,” the release stated.
“In this regard, the leaders committed to streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and professionals, and facilitating short-term tourist and business travel, while also aggressively addressing illegal immigration and human trafficking by taking strong action against bad actors, criminal facilitators, and illegal immigration networks to promote mutual security for both countries,” it added.
President Trump and Prime Minister Modi also pledged to maintain high-level engagement between the governments, industries, and academic institutions of both nations. They reaffirmed their vision for a long-lasting India-US partnership that supports the aspirations of their people, contributes to global prosperity, and upholds a free and open Indo-Pacific.