Oct 31, 2017
The United States and India continue to forge ever deeper bonds and expand their partnerships, as they have for over 70 years now. During a recent meeting in New Delhi, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj discussed how the two countries might deepen their cooperation on thorny issues such as terrorism and the stabilization of Afghanistan. They also discussed India's potential to broaden its role in the Indo Pacific region, particularly when it comes to promoting a rules-based approach to commerce, and a transparent and sustainable approach to economic development.
These goals dovetail with President Donald Trump's new strategy for South Asia, which redoubles U.S. commitment to help achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan, and consequently, in the greater South Asian region, said Secretary of State Tillerson.“India plays an important role in this effort. In the fight against terrorism, the United States will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with India. Terrorist safe havens will not be tolerated,” he said:
“The United States supports India's emergence as a leading power and will continue to contribute to Indian capabilities to provide security throughout the region. In this regard, we are willing and able to provide India advanced technologies for its military modernization efforts.”
“At the core of our strong bond is our shared values,” said Secretary of State Tillerson.“Our democracies were founded on a commitment to individual liberty and the rule of law. It's this foundation that underpins all that we work together on, from combating terrorism and safeguarding a rules-based Indo-Pacific region to increasing free and fair trade even as we look for more areas of cooperation,” he said.
“As President Trump said during Prime Minister Modi's trip to the United States in June, . . . ‘The future of our partnership has never looked brighter.' India and the United States will always be tied together in friendship and respect. We look forward to an even brighter future.”