WASHINGTON, Jan 27: India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, here on Thursday during an occasion to celebrate the 74th Republic Day said the United States has been an instrumental partner for India during its transformative journey.
Sandhu, joined by Indian American Congressmen Ro Khanna and Thanedar, celebrated the Republic Day here along with community members in and around the US capital.
“The global comprehensive strategic partnership, between India and the United States, has continued to intensify, covering almost all areas of human endeavour, driven by shared democratic values, convergence of interests, on a range of issues, and vibrant, people to people contacts,” the Ambassador said.
“Our two countries are benefiting from mutual exchanges, across domains including healthcare, clean energy, security, education, technology, translating the vision of PM Modi and President Biden, into action. Our engagements with partners in Quad, have expanded into infrastructure, supply chains, climate action, and space cooperation, to become a force for global good,” Sandhu said.
He said the United States had been an instrumental partner for India during its transformative journey.
The Diaspora, he said, has been an important pillar of the relationship, which continues to strengthen ties through its achievements in diverse sectors and contribute to India’s development journey.
“I am glad that Congressmen Khanna/Thanedar, who in a way represent the strength of the community, in which we take pride, and who are also part of the bipartisan support that the India-US partnership enjoys in the Congress, are with us today,” Sandhu said.
The two US lawmakers stressed the value of India-US relationship and pledged to work for further strengthening of ties between the two largest democracies of the world.
“I’m very, very proud of my Indian heritage. Very proud to be here on Republic Day,” Khanna said in his brief remarks here at the Indian House, the official residence of India Ambassador in the US.
Republic Day, Khanna said, makes one remember the sacrifices of many including his grandfather, who worked with Lala Lajpat Rai there during the freedom struggle. He was inspired by his grandfather in public service.
“It is wonderful to see India now thriving, Indian Americans thriving, in a history of world irony a British Indian running Britain. I would not have guessed, I would have that certainly so early in my life,” Khanna said.
“We take today to celebrate the constitutional principles of India of equality, liberty, pluralism. We celebrate the freedom struggle and what that meant both to the Indian Americans, to India, but also to the world, to Nelson Mandela, to the Civil Rights Movement, to so many movements across the world for justice and dignity,” Khanna said.
“I’m just really excited to be of service. I want to work hard for a better India-US relationship. Our two countries have so much common ground, so many principles and ideology that we share, that we need to have the strongest India-United States relationship,” Congressman Thanedar said.
Thanedar was first elected to the House of Representative last November and joined his four other Indian American colleagues – Ami Bera, Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal – in the Congress. He is the fifth member of the Samosa Caucus.
“I, along with my esteemed colleagues in the Congress, will work very hard to do that. I’m here as a friend of the Indian American community. Count on me. Come to me, reach my office,” Thanedar told members of the Indian American community. (PTI)
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