Indo-US relationship has developed `exponentially`: Shankar

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jun 30 (PTI) Noting that the Indo-US
relationship has developed "exponentially" in the last few
years, Indian Ambassador to the US has said the ties with
America is important to meet the development aspirations of
India, as well as enhancing global peace and security.

"The India-US relationship, in the last few years, has
developed exponentially. It is a very important relationship
for India certainly, which we feel is essential for meeting
our development aspirations, as well as for enhancing global
peace and security, and meeting some of the common global
challenges that we face," Ambassador Meera Shankar said.

The Indian Ambassador made these remarks during a
conversation on "Natural Allies -- US-India Relations in the
Obama Era", organised by the American Enterprise Institute
(AEI), a Washington-based think tank.

"It's our effort to try to take this relationship to the
next level, building on the gains which were made and on the
strong bipartisan support within the United States for
building this relationship, as well as broad political support
in the Indian polity for building this relationship," Shankar
said.

The Indian Ambassador said Indo-US relationship now
stands on its own merits and, from India's point of view, has
to be viewed as such. There is an economic element which has
been growing substantially. Trade has doubled in the last four
years, she observed.

Shankar said investment flows now go in both directions,
with Indian investment in the United States being larger than
US foreign direct investment in India in recent years.

Talking about the technology collaborations between the
two countries, Shankar said "the US is the largest source of
technology collaborations for Indian companies who are seeking
to move up the value chain."

"So there is this whole economic and business dimension.
There are shared security challenges for instance: terrorism,
proliferation. Or there are shared global challenges of food
security, energy security.

"There are a range of areas where India and the US work
together. This is also underpinned by a very lively and
vibrant relationship at the level of the people," she added.

Shankar said there are 92,000 Indian students in the US
Tuesday. There are 2.7 million Indian-Americans in America
and it is a community, which has become very much more active
and confident in recent years.

"All this builds the relationship in a very substantive
way," she said. PTI