Washington: US secretary of state John Kerry will be In India on Wednesday for the round of the annual strategic dialogue. Kerry will meet with Primeminster Modi while in India.
This is the reason for the for the dialogue which was to be held in Washington this time, is being held in New Delhi. The US to take place in New Delhi. It was Washington DC’s turn to host it this time. The US was keen that Kerry meet the new government on its own turf.
Prime Minister Modi will be going to the US in September to address the UN general assembly and will travel to Washington DC to meet Obama at his invitation.
Kerry’s visit to India is to be seen in that context. What about expectations from the summit? Anish Goel, a former White House official dealing with India, said, “I am optimistic about the coming summit, but don’t expect a major breakthrough.”
In his address to the Center for American Progress, Kerry said on Monday that it was a “potentially transformative moment” for relations between India and the United States, as the two countries were determined to deliver on the “strategic and historic opportunities” they can create together.
There is a “new government in India, with a new set of priorities, and new possibilities”, Kerry said in the speech and came out strongly in support of Modi’s vision for developed India “Sab ka saath, sab ka vikaas (Together we all, development for all),” he said, adding that the election campaign slogan was a great visionary concept that the US wants to support.
“The US and India can and should be indispensable partners for the 21st century. The dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit of our relationship is needed to solve some of world’s greatest challenges.” He added the two countries can work together to tackle global challenges from climate change to clean energy and others.
Kerry also spoke about the US’s concerns regarding India.
“If India’s government delivers on its plans to support greater space for private initiative, if it creates greater openness to capital flows, it if limits subsidies and strive for competition, and provides strong intellectual property rights, believe me even more American companies will come to India,” he said in a speech in which he was widely expected to address the criticism that the present administration had not paid the relationship enough attention, not after President Barack Obama’s visit in 2010.
What about expectations from the summit? Anish Goel, a former White House official dealing with India, said, “I am optimistic about the coming summit, but don’t expect a major breakthrough.”
