New Delhi: As India is holding the G20 Summit in Delhi, Congress leader Manish Tiwari on Saturday launched an attack on the Bharatiya Janta Party-led Centre, asking the government to clarify in Parliament whether the government is aiming to provide a military base to United States soldiers on Indian soil.
Tiwari, citing the India-US joint statement released by the White House on Friday, said, "Is this a precursor to providing US military bases on Indian soil? The NDA/BJP will have to clarify in Parliament."
The Congress leader's attack on the Centre comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit with US President Joe Biden hours after he landed in New Delhi to attend the mega conclave.
According to statement from the White House about the meeting of both leaders at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi, they talked about various key issues and also applauded the conclusion of a second Master Ship Repair Agreement signed between American Navy and Mumbai-based Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders in August 2023.
During the meeting, both leaders recommitted to advancing India’s emergence as a hub for the maintenance and repair of forward-deployed US Navy assets and other aircraft and vessels, according to the White House statement.
Taking to X, Manish Tiwari highlighted a specific part of the India-US joint statement that reads, "The leaders applauded the conclusion of a second Master Ship Repair Agreement, with the most recent agreement signed by the U.S. Navy and Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders, Ltd., in August 2023. Both sides recommitted to advancing India’s emergence as a hub for the maintenance and repair of forward-deployed U.S. Navy assets and other aircraft and vessels."
The leaders also welcomed further commitments from U.S. industry to invest more in India’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities and facilities for aircraft.
However, BJP has not so far reacted to Congress' claim. (Agencies)
