President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “agreed Tuesday to team up and tackle a checklist of economic, nuclear, security and environmental challenges” as well as collaborate on health and agriculture issues, CNN reports. Singh is in Washington, D.C. for a five-day visit (11/25).

The two leaders discussed joint public health efforts, according to ANI/Thaindian.com. The publication writes that Obama and Singh “agreed to build on existing strong ties across academia and scientific communities by advancing public health and biomedical research collaborations between the United States and India. … The leaders also pledged to enhance collaboration in controlling diseases such as polio, and discovering new and affordable technologies and treatments for the benefit of their peoples and for those of other countries who seek their assistance” (Prakesh, 11/25). 

Inter Press Service reports that “[a]greements on health cooperation included the creation of a Regional Global Disease Detection Center in India as a part of the Global Disease Detection (GDD) network; the launch of a U.S.-India health dialogue which will hold its first meeting in early 2010; and a new U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) program to address health problems of the urban poor” (Clifton, 11/24).

The leaders’ joint statement is available on the White House Web site (11/24).