Shared values lie at the core of warm Indo-US ties

The Indian Ambassador to the US gives an insight into India-US relations. If someone were to ask me to describe the source of the warmth in Indo-US ties, the pithy answer to that will be: Shared values. Today, our two countries share a similar outlook on a wide range of issues - from combating terrorism to ensuring a rules-based international order. India also views the US as a very important partner for mutually beneficial trade, investments and cutting-edge technologies both in the defence and civilian spheres. From technologies used in fighter jets, howitzers and aircraft carriers to providing knowhow on improved farming techniques, the US has emerged as India's go-to partner on a wide range of subjects. Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US to address the UN Climate Change Summit on September 23 and his engagement with the Indian diaspora in Houston, I think it is important to note the crucial and active role played by the Indian community in the US in furthering our bilateral relations. The Indian community in the US is a model for all immigrants. It is educated, industrious, respectful of local customs and traditions and contributes significantly to enriching the lives of the communities they live in. Their presence and success across the length and breadth of the US has made each of them an ambassador for Indian values and Indian society in the United States. They have played, and continue to play, a significant role as a “living bridge” connecting our two countries, enhancing mutual understanding and fostering greater cooperation between our peoples.

You will find Indian professionals heading many iconic US companies. Their presence is most visible in the US technology sector and they have played a significant role in ensuring that the US remains ahead of the global technology curve. Indian companies, too, have played their part in this. By providing technology solutions at competitive prices and by investing in resources and manufacturing in the US, they have helped the US economy retain its primacy. More than 100 Indian companies have invested more than $15 billion in the US and created thousands of jobs in the US. I want to emphasise this point to highlight the fact that Indians and Indian companies in the US are job creators and not job takers. Even Indians who come to the US as students contribute a lot. Last year, the Indian student community, which numbers about 196,000 in the US, contributed over $7 billion to the country's economy. Start-ups have emerged as the latest field in which India is benefiting from US partnerships, creating valuable technology companies that help us both. In fintech, in artificial intelligence and in many other areas, young entrepreneurs are benefiting from collaborations with partners the US and in India. This spirit of partnership informs every aspect of the Indo-US relationship, both at the level of the two governments and at the level of individuals. I am confident that this warmth in our relationship and the many cultural, social, business and strategic ties that bind our two countries will help us bridge the few differences we have and emerge stronger for the greatest good of the largest number of people across the world. Harsh Vardhan Shringla is the Indian Ambassador to the United States of America