Obama`s India visit `watershed` movement in bilateral ties

Washington, Dec 9 (PTI) Describing President Barack
Obama's recent India visit as a "watershed" moment in
bilateral ties, a top US diplomat has said the two countries
have taken concrete initiatives to develop their strategic
partnership and are working together to advance global peace
and security.
"I believe President Obama's recently concluded India
trip would be considered another watershed, when the United
States and India embarked for the first time on concrete
initiatives to develop our global strategic partnership,"
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert
Blake told 'The Heritage Foundation', a Washington-based think
tank.
The challenge is now to define the agenda for the two
governments going forward, capitalise what the two countries
have achieved and meet the ambitions vision that Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Obama laid out, he said.
"The President's trip to India turned out to be one of
the most successful trips ever taken by a US President to
South Asia," Blake said, adding that the visit produced a
number of significant milestones that perhaps did not get much
attention as they deserved amidst Obama's endorsement of India
for a permanent UNSC seat and the First Lady's 'Bhangra'
dance.
"Many of these provided concrete examples about the
United States and India increasingly working together to
advance global peace, development and security," he said.
During Obama's November trip, Indian government
positioned itself to take a leading role in achieving global
stability, Blake said.
He said the US would remove Indian companies from the
export control and entities list as the country's capital New
Delhi aligns itself with global standards.
The American business community welcomed these steps as
they provide new opportunities for them in defence and civil
space areas, he said.
The removal of the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) from the Commerce Department's entities list would
bring in a new era of space cooperation and no longer would
treat India's space programme as a target, Blake said.
"Rather we would become a very close partner. The
possibilities of cooperation between India and the United
States in space to advance scientific knowledge, human welfare
are without boundaries and limits," he said.
The "full spectrum" of collaboration between the two
countries "promises to provide mutually benefit growth and
innovation for the people of India and the United States and
deliver pioneering solutions and opportunities for millions of
others around the world," he said.