It's a pleasure to meet with my friend and partner, Prime Minister Modi of India. During
my visit to India earlier this year, we committed ourselves to a new, deeper partnership between
our nations. And our work here in Paris together represents one of the greatest areas for deeper
cooperation -- and that's on the issue of climate change.
We agree that it's an urgent threat. The Prime Minister has shown in the work even before
he was Prime Minister, at the state level, his interest in new technologies and clean
energy. We welcome India's leadership and Prime Minister Modi's leadership on this issue.
And Paris is a chance to put in place a lasting framework to address climate at an international
level.
I want to emphasize that we agree that Paris must recognize and protect the ability of
countries like India to pursue the priorities of development, growth, and poverty eradication.
And I know that that is something that is deeply felt by Prime Minister Modi. At the
same time, it also has to reflect serious and ambitious action by all nations to curb
their carbon pollution. So our teams are working together to achieve these objectives.
And I am proud that after our meeting here we're going to be attending what we're calling
Mission Innovation, which is a groundbreaking new public-private initiative that will accelerate
the pace at which we can develop and deploy clean energy that's affordable to populations
around the world.
And India has also developed a new Solar Alliance, which is going to be, I think, helping to
advance the cause not only in India but around the world of accelerating the adaptation of
solar energy, which is going to be so important to our clean energy future.
So, Mr. Prime Minister, it's wonderful to see
you again, and thank you for your leadership.
PRIME MINISTER MODI: Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank
you.
PRIME MINISTER MODI: (As interpreted.) My friend, President Obama, we
are launching ourselves together on a very good mission, and we are working together.
With President Obama, I have such a deep relationship that we are able to discuss very openly on
all issues and also set out our projects.
This initiative about innovation in which India, too, would be present, we are going
to be with the United States and work shoulder to shoulder with them in this new initiative.
And I'm sure in the times to come this is going to give very good results.
Secondly, the other very good outcome would be that 121 countries, which are very solar-rich
and who receive the maximum solar radiation in their countries, are getting together and
a new organization -- the International Solar Alliance -- is coming into being. In that,
the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Kerry, would be present and also the French President.
And so this Solar Alliance and the Mission Innovation, I think these are two very important
instruments to fulfill the dreams that we have set ourselves in Paris, and to fulfill
these in the times to come.
India is a very nature-loving country and we are setting out, as always, to protect
nature in the world. And as you know, Mahatma Gandhi was the biggest champion of nature.
And we are going to be making a very important contribution. Our INDCs are also very ambitious.
We have set out 175 gigawatt of solar and renewable energy. These are very ambitious
targets. And I would just like to once again reiterate that the responsibility that India
has will be fully undertaken and fulfilled by it. And we will be working with all countries
in the world to ensure that development and protection of the environment go hand in hand.
And we also expect full cooperation from all countries.
Once again, I'd like to express my gratitude to President Obama. We meet very often. We're
very good friends. We talk very openly. And I'd just like to thank him.
(Speaks in Hindi) -- about the strong message: Paris to protect planet. Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: There you go. I understood that one. (Laughter.)
Thank you, everybody.