GANDHINAGAR, JAN 12:

Interacting with the media here at Mahatma Mandir on the second day of the seventh edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2015, US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed the need to accelerate economic investments in both ways.

"During my discussions with PM Modi and his officials, we reviewed the progress of our economic relationship. We also reviewed the necessary steps for taking it to the next level. The promise of this Indo-US relationship is really being implemented and we are beginning to see breakthrough on the kinds of things that are necessary to accelerate economic investments in both ways," Kerry said.

Climate change

Speaking about US' support for India's role in global climate change initiatives, Kerry mentioned that the US was committed to work with India to reach a landmark climate change agreement during the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in December 2015 in Paris.

"This will be a topic of President Obama's conversation with the Prime Minister and we hope these conversations will take place as well on defence agreement, as well as civil nuclear agreement as well as the economic partnership. These are very specific areas where we want to make some progress," Kerry.

Security challenges

Expressing commitment to tackle security challenges and terrorism, Kerry mentioned that besides other issues being dealt with by the two countries include maritime security, terrorism, piracy and key political and security issues. "We are also committed to dialogues on key political and security issues," Kerry said.

For the economic and development cooperation between the two nations, Kerry commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi policies on renewable energy. "The two nations could do more together to achieve the former's goals of 24x7 power for every Indian home, adding that it was the right time to accelerate the two nations' economic relationship. We believe there is a great deal that we can do together to achieve these very important goals."

Earlier in the day, the US Secretary of State visited the newly built plant of American car maker Ford Motor Company at Sanand.

"The Ford Motor Company is spending $1 billion dollars to turn its auto plant here in Gujarat into a regional manufacturing plant. We couldn't have a more graphic statement of transformation than that. India's investment to the United States has grown from just $300 million dollars to $9 billion and US investment to India have grown from $2.4 billion to $28 billion. The facts are speaking the reality of this change which is taking place."

Other areas of cooperation between India and US would be witnessed in clean energy, civil nuclear program, defence relationship, oceans issues as well as space issues.