Embassy Hosts Reception For Jaishankar, Biden Officials Attend
WASHINGTON DC (ANI) – Terming the India-US ties one of the most defining partnerships, several Biden administration officials praised External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s commitment to this bond, calling him the “architect” of modern US-India relations.
These accolades came during a special reception hosted by India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, in honor Jaishankar. The event was attended by notable figures from the Biden administration, including Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden‘s domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr. Rahul Gupta, and Director of the National Science Foundation Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan.
Jaishankar who was on a visit to the US from September 22-30 during which he addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and in Washington the EAM met with several top US officials including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Ambassador Katherine Tai and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Verma emphasized the role of hard-working Indian Americans who have built the US-India ties and said, “It’s one of the most consequential relationships of this century. Do we have disagreements? You bet. Will we have bumps in the road? Of course. But two close friends aligned with these shared values, bonded together by the great ideas of Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King…this is a partnership with staying power, with real impact, and that will continue to have an outside influence in the world.”
“I have also known (Jaishankar) for a long time over many capacities, and who I can also say, he is the architect of modern US-India relations. We would not be in the strong place that we are today, but for the external affairs minister, your leadership,” Verma said in his public address.
At the “Colors of Friendship” event in Washington DC, Jaishankar addressed members of the Indian diaspora, underscoring the importance of people-to-people connections in building stronger bilateral ties.
Giving credit to the Indian Americans, Jaishankar noted the importance of people-to-people connections in building stronger bilateral ties and that the Indian diaspora was a “bridge between the two nations.”
Tandon said that it’s important that India and the US have a strong person-to-person, community-to-community leader relationship based on the strength of the diaspora and today the Indian Americans are throughout the administration at prominent positions. “Our community has honestly matured and recognized that we can participate and contribute in so many ways. And I think it is the strength of that relationship and the strength of the democratic participation that we are part of, that really builds on the US-India relationship.”
Ahead of Gandhi Jayanti, Jaishankar also paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi here.
US lawmakers Shri Thanedar and Rick McCormik, Democrat and Republican, were present at the event.
