Washington DC:External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at an Indian community event in Washington DC, emphasized the boundless possibilities of the India-US relationship, characterizing the two nations as “desirable, optimal, and comfortable partners.”
Jaishankar stated, “I am often asked, where do you think this relationship (India-US) is going…now it’s hard for me today, really, to put a limit on it, to define it, to even voice expectations, because in every way this relationship has exceeded expectations, which is why today we don’t even try to define it. We actually keep raising the bar.”
During his visit to the United States, Jaishankar held meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, senior members of the US Administration, US business leaders, and experts from think tanks. He emphasized that India and the United States share a “very compelling need” to collaborate, highlighting that it is in Washington’s best interest to have partners who hold a favorable view of America.
“We keep finding new domains; the more we do with each other, the more we discover we can accomplish together,” he added.
Jaishankar’s visit to the US occurred amid a diplomatic dispute with Canada regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in June this year. The foreign minister refuted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that Indian government agents were involved in Nijjar’s assassination, deeming it “inconsistent with India’s policy.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed deep concern over Trudeau’s accusations and urged the Indian government to cooperate in the investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Jaishankar also had a productive discussion with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, focusing on enhancing bilateral defense cooperation between India and the US, including joint production of defense articles.
In his address, Jaishankar lauded the current state of the India-US relationship, describing it as a “natural instinct” and expressing optimism about future prospects.
