Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Sep 4: Trade, defence, China and Indo-Pacific security figured prominently in a series of meetings between nine US lawmakers and an Indian American advocacy group seeking stronger strategic ties between Washington and New Delhi.
The United States India Relationship Council (USIRC) said its delegation met Democratic and Republican members of Congress during two days of meetings on Capitol Hill on August 31 and September 1.
The discussions covered trade, defence, the Quad, the Indo-Pacific and what USIRC described as threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party. Supply-chain resilience, maritime security and cooperation in space were also discussed.
The lawmakers who participated in the meetings were Representatives Jonathan Jackson and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois; Rich McCormick of Georgia; Young Kim, Derek Tran, Scott Peters, Jimmy Panetta and Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California; and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia.
USIRC is a registered political action committee that advocates stronger US-India relations and supports candidates it considers committed to the bilateral partnership.
The organisation said it is focusing its advocacy on lawmakers who serve, or are likely to serve, on congressional committees dealing with foreign affairs.
McCormick, a Georgia Republican, made some of the strongest remarks on the bilateral relationship during the meetings, according to USIRC.
He described the prospect of the world's largest economy working with a country expected to become the world's third-largest economy as “very exciting and full of potential.”
McCormick said the US-India relationship was the “top most priority” in the context of the world's future. He also said Washington and New Delhi should ensure that the two countries are “not just friends, but allies into the future.”
USIRC said Krishnamoorthi was “very forthright about his commitment to the US India relationship”, while Kim was described as a longtime supporter of stronger ties with India.
Subramanyam, an Indian American Democrat from Virginia, urged greater political participation with the message, “Get involved, Stay involved,” according to the organisation.
USIRC said Tran expressed a commitment to building the relationship “for years to come”, while Peters voiced support for stronger bilateral ties. Panetta discussed opportunities for mutual growth in several areas.
Kamlager-Dove, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee dealing with South and Central Asia, stressed the importance of engaging the Indian diaspora in strengthening bilateral relations, according to USIRC.
The organisation said the meetings resulted in broad agreement on the importance of the Indo-Pacific and the need for Washington and New Delhi to deepen cooperation.
Among its “points of consensus”, USIRC said threats from the Chinese Communist Party should be addressed “collectively and cohesively” and that the United States and India are “natural allies”.
The organisation also said differences between Washington and New Delhi should be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy while both countries continue expanding cooperation in strategic areas.