The Indian Panorama

Tag: India-US

  • India-US ties key for democracy, strong world economy and to outcompete China: Schumer

    India-US ties key for democracy, strong world economy and to outcompete China: Schumer

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A strong India-US relationship is a must for democracy, advancement in technology and a robust world economy, a top American senator has said, emphasizing that close bilateral ties will be a crucial counterweight to outcompete China.

    Describing India as one of the “leading powers” of the world, Senator Chuck Schumer said close India-US ties would also be key to responding to China’s authoritarianism. The Senate Majority Leader is leading a high-powered Congressional delegation of senators to India. The delegation, led by Schumer, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, February 20.  They discussed new opportunities for consolidating the India-US ties in critical technologies, clean energy transition, joint development and production, and trusted and resilient supply chains.

    The prime minister welcomed the Congressional delegation to India and appreciated the consistent and bipartisan support of the US Congress for deepening India-US bilateral ties, his office said in a statement.

    “We need nations such as India, the world’s largest democracy, to work with us to strengthen democracies in Asia and around the globe,” Schumer said in a statement issued here on Monday following his hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi.

    “In our meeting with Prime Minister Modi, we stressed that close ties between our two countries would be a crucial counterweight to outcompete China and respond to its authoritarianism,” he said.

    India is one of the “leading powers” of the world and a strong US-India relationship is a must for democracy, technology advancement, and a strong world economy, he said.

    “I made India my first Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) as Majority Leader to show my commitment to the important US-India relationship,” he said in the statement.

    Other members of the delegation are Senators Ron Wyden, Jack Reed, Maria Cantwell, Amy Klobuchar, Mark Warner, Gary Peters, Catherine Cortez-Masto, and Peter Welch.All are from the ruling Democratic Party.

    “I am proud that the senators in our delegation are strong representatives of America’s commitment to the US-Indian economic and security partnership,” he said. Schumer said, in his meeting with Modi, they discussed the growing US-India relationship and the common interests that unite the two largest democracies in the world.

    “It was a substantive and productive conversation about strengthening ties on our shared strategic interests including outcompeting China, combating climate change, increasing trade, and deepening bonds between our two countries,” he said.

    “We stressed that close cooperation between the US and India in areas such as AI, green hydrogen, and advanced tech manufacturing will give our two countries the advantage for decades to come. I strongly believe the continued and strengthened US-India relationship will be the great story that will define the 21st century,” he said.

    All the senators expressed their commitment to continue working with the Indian government to deepen the bilateral relationship to advance their mutual interest, he added.

    (Inputs from  PTI and Press release from Schumer’s office)

  • Education important pillar of India-US ties: Ambassador Sandhu

    Education important pillar of India-US ties: Ambassador Sandhu

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Education is an important pillar of India-US partnership, India’s top diplomat in the United States said after a virtual meeting with the Chancellor of the University of California, Davis. Good discussion this afternoon with Chancellor Gary May and his team on the big potential for knowledge and research partnership in agriculture, health, digital and climate change, said Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s Ambassador to the US.

    “Education is an important pillar of India-United States partnership,” Sandhu said in a tweet after the meeting with Chancellor May.

    Chancellor May is known as a highly engaged educational leader with a passion for helping others succeed.

    In 2015, the then President Barack Obama honored him with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring students in science, technology, engineering and maths. In 2021, he received the prestigious Lifetime Mentor Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science for demonstrating extraordinary leadership to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the fields of science and engineering.

    The university is located in the heart of the region which has historical ties with the US Sikh community, which includes many immigrants from Punjab.

    Today, half of the Sikh population in the US resides in California.

    To preserve the stories and history of the immigrants from Punjab and share their contributions to the state of California, the university has created an archive of videos, photos and other documents. The ambassador’s interaction with Chancellor May is part of his continuing outreach to US universities.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Two-week training exercise commences at Mahajan field firing ranges in Rajasthan

    Two-week training exercise commences at Mahajan field firing ranges in Rajasthan

    INDO-US MILITARY EXERCISE

    By Yash Goyal

    JAIPUR (TIP): The first Indo-US defense exercise in the Biden presidency commenced on February 8at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, near Bikaner in Rajasthan. The India-US joint training Exercise YUDH ABHYAS started with opening ceremony that saw unfurling of the National Flags of both countries amidst playing of the National anthems, “Jana Gana Mana” and “The STAR- SPANGLED BANNER”. The duo’s bilateral combat drill is underway from February 8 to 21 at different locations in Mahajan firing field (mostly sand dunes).

    On Feb 6, the US Army contingent comprising of a Brigade and a Battalion group of 2nd Battalion the 3rd Infantry Regiment of 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team comprising of 270 persons landed at Suratgarh. The 14 days schedule is focused upon joint training on Counter Insurgency environment under United Nations mandate.

    The opening ceremony was held on February 8 at Mahajan Field Firing Range. Brig Mukesh Bhanwala, Commander 170 Infantry Brigade welcomed the US contingent. He impressed upon both the contingents to achieve optimum cohesion and inter-operability to achieve the military objectives of the exercise. He stressed upon importance of free exchange of ideas, concepts, best practices between the troops and the necessity to learn from each other’s operational experiences as well enhance situational awareness, according to Lt Col Amitabh Sharma, PRODefense here. A number of aerial platforms including newly inducted indigenous Advance Light Helicopter WSI ‘RUDRA’, MI – 17, Chinooks, Stryker Vehicles of US Army and BMP-II Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicles of Indian Army, will be utilized in the exercise. The exercise will enrich both the contingents from each other’s rich experience in counter insurgency operations. Besides counter insurgency operations, exchange of experiences in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief will also be a part of the exercise.