State Dept. has no intention of slowing growth between India, US: Biswal.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Representative Ami Bera (D-CA) and Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal discussed the importance of developing and maintaining strong ties with India during a meeting of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific on Wednesday.
“Our policy in Asia is at a critical juncture, and we must reassure our allies and partners that we are committed in the region, particularly India,” said Bera. “I firmly believe there is potential to quintuple the amount of trade we do, which will ultimately lead to more jobs both here at home, and in India.”
Bera stated that India continues to be a crucial strategic and geopolitical ally to the White House, and that it is imperative to make sure that the US keeps relations strong and open. To that end, Bera called on Biswal, who was present as a witness for the committee, to talk about her intentions for the US and India.
Biswal said that the US is “looking forward” to the outcome of India’s ongoing elections, and will engage with whoever the country’s new Prime Minister ends up being. She credited the efforts of successive US administrations over the last 15 years in expanding the relationship between the US and India, and said that the State Department has no intention of slowing that growth.
“We [the US] see opportunity in increasing defense cooperation, [in] growing our trade relationship, [in] India’s efforts to expand its ‘Look East’ policy, its connection to ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations],” Biswal said, listing off several promising aspects of India.
Biswal also pointed out to the ongoing tri-lateral talks among the US, India, and Japan, and also talked about the America’s desire to further connect India with other allies in central Asia – another domain that Biswal oversees in role within the Department of State.
“The scope for expanding our government-to-government, business-to-business, [and] our people-to-people ties are tremendous in the years ahead,” said Biswal.
Bera shared those feelings, saying that a strong India is critical or stabilizing the south Asian region and that the country could “provide geopolitical stability by promoting trade, building infrastructure, and doing business with its partners.”
The subject of the US Ambassador to India, which is essentially vacant as Nancy Powell is on her way out this month, came up briefly, but no one gave any indication as to who the US might be getting ready to appoint for the position. Reports over the last month have said that USAID Director Rajiv Shah is at the head of President Barack Obama’s list for the job.