New York: India's ties with the US have been "completely transformed" with setting of new parameters in bilateral engagement during the first year under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian envoy to the US has said.
"As we mark one year of India's current government, it is difficult not to see the changes in the way of doing business and not to see in them cause for optimism and satisfaction," Indian Ambassador to the US Arun K Singh said.
"There have also been new parameters in India's engagement with the US... There is more to come in (all the areas) and with each passing year we will make further progress," Singh told a packed audience that included former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
In his keynote address on 'India Under Modi: One Year In' at think-tank Asia Society yesterday, Singh said Modi government's first year has been used effectively to lay the foundation for India's rapid transformation and for robust and purposeful diplomacy. In the past year, India's relation with the US has been "completely transformed," Singh noted.
The Indian envoy said that the past year has demonstrated that good economics can also be good politics in India. "We are at a qualitatively different phase in India's domestic transformation, in India's foreign policy approaches and in India's engagement with the US than we were a year ago," he said.
"The US was quick to offer to partner with India in realising the goals that our new government set for India's transformation and as a result the narrative in our relations have begun to reflect new found energy and optimism," he said.
"As a result, the narrative in our relations has begun to reflect newfound energy and optimism. The excellent personal friendship enjoyed by our two leaders has provided a solid political foundation for our overall relationship," Singh said.
He said Obama was the first to visit India twice during his tenure and first to be the Guest of Honour at the Republic Day celebrations. Highlighting the extensive interactions between US and Indian officials in political, economic, defence and cultural areas, Singh said India and the US are engaging on a bilateral investment treaty and agreement on social security.
In defence, the two nations have made tremendous progress in ironing out differences. The civilian nuclear deal is moving beyond the buyer-seller relationship to a "technology partnership and co-development".
