US NSA Jake Sullivan says US-India ‘natural partners’: ‘Built on intention, choice, determination...’
Live MintThe National Security Advisor of the United States, Jake Sullivan who is on a visit to India described the US and India as "natural partners," linked by their democracies, companies, universities, and people. Dwelling upon the phrase coined for India and the US, calling them "natural partners", Sullivan remarked, "Over the years I've noticed that people have referred to the United States and India as natural partners.In many ways that's true. AI-driven agricultural solutions, cutting edge satellite data to developing economies, and at the G20 here in Delhi in September of 2023, we together announced the launch of the India Middle East Economic Corridor, an ambitious initiative linking India, the Middle East, and ultimately Europe with the sea and rail corridor and fibre and electricity and energy connections," said the US NSA. Tracing the trajectory of decisions taken over years by both Indian and American leadership, Sullivan gave examples of how the US-India civil nuclear agreement concluded by US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, or India's designation as a major defence partner of the United States in 2016, or President Biden and Prime Minister Modi's decision to manufacture advanced jet engine technology and explore space together- he said none of these were natural occurrences but rather step by step the two countries have worked to build trust and cooperation to move our partnership past what Prime Minister Modi has called our hesitations of history.