Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that he is “thrilled” that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the US for an official visit. He said that this year holds great promises for India and US in terms of what the two nations can do.
While speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Garcetti said, “I’m thrilled that Prime Minister Modi will be visiting United States for an official state visit. It’s only the third time in 75 years that an Indian prime minister has visited. It’s only the third visit of any head of government from anywhere in the world with President Biden at the White House.”
“And we know that this is the first trip in 14 years of any prime minister to the White House at this level. We also know that this year holds great promises to be able to see what we can do. The sky is the limit in my mind for where we can take trade, to accelerate visas for students and visitors and to make sure that we can think not just about the next year or the next five years, but the next 20 and 50 years of a US-India relationship,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi will embark on an official state visit to the United States on June 22. During his visit, PM Modi will be hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at a state dinner at the White House, the Ministry of External Affairs informed through a press statement earlier this month.
Garcetti said that Indians are the largest source of students in American universities from abroad. He said that the US is the largest trading partner to India and the militaries of the two nations train together. He said that the two nations are now protecting the Indo-Pacific.
“But when I think about when I first came here, it was so different. Our relationship was a one-way flow. Our defense trade was zero. And we hardly had any international economic ties together. Today, things are so different. We are now the largest trading partner of India in the United States,” Garcetti said in the press conference.
“Indians are the largest source of students in American universities from abroad. USD 191 billion dollars in trade made us the largest trading partner to India. And our militaries now train together, more exercises with the Indian military than any other military in the world.
So, we are protecting an Indo-Pacific now, so that it can be prosperous, that it can be free. And that so our nations can not only embody the values that make us strong, but that we can help … them in this region and across the world together,” he added.
US envoy said that the India-US relationship is the “most important” on the face of the globe. While speaking at the press conference, he expressed his love for cricket. He spoke about his meeting with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. He also drew a parallel between Hollywood and Bollywood. He recalled his first visit to India as a 14-year-old boy.
Responding to the question regarding the ongoing turmoil in Pakistan, he said, “The United States, India and the world share the same concern. We want stability in Pakistan. We hope that there will not be unrest in Pakistan and we stay engaged with Pakistan because of that.
I think that serves both India and the United States and the world. And we hope and pray that the rule of law and peace will prevail over the border. But, that’s up to the Pakistani people to decide. And I’d refer you to my counterpart on the other side of the border.”
