Bera said that he is optimistic about the US-India relationship.
Indian American Congressman Ami Bera on Wednesday said that he is optimistic about the US-India relationship but warned against taking it for granted, PTI reported.
The three-time Democratic Representative of California (D-CA 7th district) was speaking at a round table jointly organized by US India Friendship Council and US India Business Council at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington.
“I am very optimistic about the relationship. But we have to be very intentional. We can’t take the relationship for granted,” Bera said.
“There will be bumps in the road,” he added, and cited incidents of hate crimes and immigration as some of those bumps.
He said that Indian Americans will play an important role in this relationship and assured to build a good relationship between the members of the Congress and the Indian MPs.
“From our perspective, the relationship can’t be based on one administration and another administration. This can be defining relationship of the 21st century,” Bera said. “We will continue to build the relationship between the members of the Congress and the Indian MPs because those are lasting relationships.”
Bera said that India has a key role in stabilizing the Indian Ocean region and the trajectory of the US-India relationship has been phenomenal.
“As we look at the partnership between President Obama and Prime Minister Modi, you can see the chemistry there and the mutural respect,” he said.“The news coming out from the conversation between Presidnet Donald Trump and Modi is a positive sign.”
Bera said that the Prime Minister Modi would be visiting the US, shortly.
Bera shared his concern on the fact that how hate crimes against the South Asian community are impacting the United States reputation around the world. “This is not who we are as a country,” he said.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA 17th District) also expressed his optimism about county’s future even though there has been some unfortunate incidents.
“We have the most tolerant, most open democracy in the world,” Khanna said.
Social Media Updates:
At the joint event with US-India Friendship Council with @RoKhannaUSA @TulsiPress @GeorgeHolding & @RepBera, discussing #USIndia ties pic.twitter.com/WF5bdNYFLp
— U.S.-India Business Council (@USIBC) March 15, 2017
Roundtable today with @USIBC and #India Friendship Council. When our two nations work together we improve security and create American jobs pic.twitter.com/KeIwntpDjG
— Ami Bera, M.D. (@RepBera) March 15, 2017
(This story was updated on March 17, 2017.)