- Sunday, April 28, 2024
The United States and India have reached a level that we have never seen before, the diplomat said while speaking at an event in Gujarat.
By: Twinkle Roy
UNITED STATES consul general to Mumbai in India, Mike Hankey, on Friday (15) assured that Washington will support New Delhi in its endeavour to become a developed nation by 2047, a target set by prime minister Narendra Modi. He also extended his country’s support to making the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), which was announced by the Indian PM last year, a reality.
The diplomat emphasised that the US has been collaborating and cooperating with India in various areas, as he spoke at an event organised by the Gujarat chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry in the city of Ahmedabad.
“When India looks at being ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) and aims to get the status of a developed nation, the US is committed to being a partner in every element of that endeavour. You can turn to us to facilitate business, technology and for advanced solutions to the 21st century problems. We will be your partner and we look forward to your success,” he said.
“The United States and India have reached a level that we have never seen before. And frankly a level that we haven’t done with any other country,” he added, noting that last year the US authorized, for the first time, “one of the most advanced jet engines” to be built for fighter jets in India in collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
Speaking about the IMEEC, an initiative announced by the Indian prime minister at the G20 summit in New Delhi last year, Hankey said it would link India with Europe through the Middle East, connecting countries that “share values and economic potential”.
“The US supports this. We are working closely with partners right here in Gujarat to see how we build it up,” he added.
The consul general also focused on the India-US cooperation in the environment sector, saying they are putting hundreds of millions of dollars for a clean energy transition that can enable India to grow in a “sustainable and an inclusive way”.
Envisaging a better, if not different future, fuelled by the two nations’ deepening ties, Hankey said, “We both come from countries that share the first phrase of our constitution – We the people….Both US and India as well as many other countries have elections this year. And regardless of the outcomes of these elections, we are going to see a continued focus on building that world that we see — it is free, fair, prosperous, and rules-bound.”
The envoy also added in his speech that the US is India’s No.1 trading partner with $191 billion annual trade, and nearly 165,000 new students from India arrived in the US in 2023.
(With PTI inputs)
