India Shares Tillerson’s Optimism for Indo-US ties: MEA

The Trump Administration is determined to dramatically deepen ways for the US and India to work together, he said.

Rex Tillerson.

(Photo: AP)

India, on Friday, said it appreciates US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's positive evaluation of the Indo-US ties, asserting that New Delhi shares his optimism and looks forward to welcoming him here next week for discussions to strengthen the partnership.

Secretary Tillerson has made a significant policy statement on India-US relations and its future, an external affairs ministry statement said.

"He brought out its various strengths and highlighted our shared commitment to a rule-based international order. We look forward to welcoming him in India next week for detailed discussions on further strengthening of our partnership," the statement said.

In a major India-policy speech, the first by the Trump administration, Tillerson had referred to the rise of China, saying its behaviour and action was "posing a challenge to the rules-based international order". He had told a Washington audience:

China, while rising alongside India, has done so less responsibly, at times undermining the international, rules- based order – even as countries like India operate within a framework that protects other nations’ sovereignty.

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are committed to building an "ambitious" partnership that benefits not just their countries but also other nations working towards peace and stability, America's top diplomat said on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told a Washington audience that Modi's visit in June highlighted the many areas of cooperation that are already underway in this new era of strategic relationship.

In a major India policy speech before CSIS, a top US think-tank, Tillerson said:

President Trump and Prime Minister Modi are committed – more than any of our leaders before them – to building an ambitious partnership that benefits not only our two great democracies but other sovereign nations working toward greater peace and stability.

Tillerson is scheduled to visit India next week. He said:

My visit could not come at a more promising time for the US-India partnership. As you know, this year marks the 70th anniversary of relations between our two countries.

Tillerson said his relationship with India goes back to 1998, when he began working on issues related to India's energy security and that he has made many trips to Delhi.

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"It was a privilege to do business with Indian counterparts then, and it has been my great honour, this year, to work with Indian leaders as the Secretary of State. I look forward to returning to Delhi, next week, for the first time in my official capacity," Tillerson said.

Referring to the fact that earlier this month, a shipment of American crude oil arrived in India, Tillerson said it was a tangible illustration of India and the US expanding their energy cooperation.

The Trump Administration is determined to dramatically deepen ways for the US and India to work together, he asserted.

Noting that more than 600 American companies operate in India, Tillerson said the US foreign direct investment has jumped by 500 percent in the past two years alone.

The bilateral trade hit a record of roughly $115 billion, last year, a number US plans to increase, he said.

"Together, we have built a sturdy foundation of economic cooperation as we look for more avenues of expansion," he said.

The announcement of the first Global Entrepreneurship Summit ever to be hosted in South Asia, to take place in Hyderabad, next month, is a clear example of how President Trump and Prime Minister Modi are promoting innovation, expanding job opportunities, and finding new ways to strengthen both economies, he said.

‘Expect Pak to Take Decisive Action Against Terrorists’

Speaking about Pakistan, Tillerson said the US expects the country to take decisive action against terrorists and such a move will improve Islamabad's international standing as well as stability in the region.

He also said that states that use terror as an instrument of policy will only see their international reputation and standing diminish, in an apparent dig at Pakistan. He added:

It is the obligation, not choice, of every civilised nation to combat the scourge of terrorism. The United States and India are leading that regional effort together.

America's relationships in the region stand on their own merits, Tillerson told the audience.

In his major India policy speech, Tillerson said India-US cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism has strengthened in recent years.

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US Wants Increased Connectivity in South Asia

With an eye on China's 'One Belt One Road' initiative, Tillerson called for increasing connectivity in the South Asia region, saying it is one of the least economically integrated regions in the world.

From Silk Routes to Grand Trunk Roads, South Asia was for millennia a region bound together by the exchange of goods, people, and ideas, he said adding:

But today it is one of the least economically integrated regions in the world; intra-regional trade has languished – constituting only four or five percent of the total trade.

Compare that with ASEAN, where intra-regional trade stands at 25 percent of total trade, he said, adding:

The US and India must look for more opportunities to grow this connectivity and our own economic links, even as we look for more ways to facilitate greater development and growth for others in the region.

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