US and India Advance Joint Agenda Following Modi-Trump Meeting

On Tuesday, India and the US began working on the agenda outlined by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, just days after a joint declaration between Washington and New Delhi.

Tom Lograsso, director of the critical materials innovation hub, Ames National Laboratory, met key figures from the industry and academia in the city.(HT)

According to Consul General Mike Hankey, the US has initiated discussions with key institutions, including research, academic, and private sector organizations in India, to explore opportunities for collaboration in research, cooperation, and commercial partnerships across the defense, technology, energy, and critical minerals sectors.

“We are carrying forth the commitments that President Trump and PM Modi made together two weeks ago to build a more prosperous future for our people to maintain high-level engagement across government, research and business, and commitments to our people to realise their ambitions,” Hankey told reporters.

An American diplomat stated that the US will consider the aspirations of the people, promote trade, and work to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Tom Lograsso, director of the Critical Materials Innovation Hub at Ames National Laboratory, engaged with key industry and academic leaders in the city.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the sixth edition of the Pune International Business Summit 2025, organized by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture (MCCIA), Lograsso shared insights on the discussions.

“Meetings with industry leaders and academia will help forge strategic partnerships, accelerate technological innovation, and strengthen people-to-people ties through bilateral research and development. We are committed to pursuing a lab-to-lab agreement to facilitate sustained R&D collaboration, reflecting the shared commitment to strengthening educational and research linkages while expanding opportunities for young innovators, as outlined in the Joint Leaders’ Statement,” he said.

Lograsso stated that his visit is focused on strengthening strategic collaborations between Ames Lab and Pune’s CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) to drive advancements in critical minerals research and emerging technologies.

His visit aligns with the strategic goals outlined in the 2025 US-India Joint Leaders’ Statement and complements the recently launched US-India COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce, and Technology) initiative. Additionally, it supports the US-India TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology) initiative, which fosters collaboration among government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector in critical and emerging technologies.

During his visit, he will engage with researchers from NCL, IISER, IIT-Bombay, and Symbiosis International University.

(This Article was originally published by Hindustan Times)