The engagement of Indian Americans with US institutions is huge, says Singh.
AB Wire
Indian Ambassador to the US Arun K Singh, while addressing the Indian American community in Cleveland on Thursday said that the 3.5 million members of the community have a very important role in strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and the US.
Speaking at an event hosted in his honor by the community members and those attending the Republican National Convention, the Indian Ambassador said, “I think, what gives a real, solid and fundamental basis to the (India-US) relationship is the people-to-people dimension of the relationship.”
According to Singh, there are 3.5 million Indian Americans in the US out of which 110,000 are doctors. He added that the recent stats have revealed that every seventh patient in the US visits an Indian origin doctor.
Indian Ambassador also said that forty percent of all hotel rooms in the US are owned and managed by Indian Americans, which contributes $13 billion to the US economy.
While talking about the increase in the number of Indian students enrolling in US Universities for higher studies, Arun Kumar Singh said every year about 140,000 Indian students come to the US.
The reception was hosted by Indian-American Forum for Political Education headed by Dr. Sampat Shivangi, a prominent Indian American Republican figure from Mississippi.
Singh said the engagement of Indians with US institutions is huge.
While referring to meetings that he had in Cleveland with the top brass of the Republican party, Singh said it reflected the interest of the leadership in improving the India-US relationship.
“I believe all of you will have an important role to play in contributing to this. All of you in a sense are permanent Ambassadors here. You have an understanding of the US. You have an understanding of India and Indian society. So based on this understanding and the network that you have you will be in a position to take forward this relationship in different areas,” Singh said.
Dr. Shivangi said that the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has added a positive momentum for India-US relationship
He added that the India-US relationship will reach new heights under the next Republican president, Shivangi was referring to the Republican platform passed earlier this week.
Dr. Shivangi, a delegate to the Republican National Convention, has been organizing a reception for the Indian Ambassador for the last three conventions.
“This is an effort to honor the Indian Ambassador and establish a relationship between the Indian Government and the community,” he said.