Top U.S. and Indian officials meeting in Washington say both nations increasingly share a vision for the future, downplaying key differences between the two leading democracies.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hosted Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna at the State Department Wednesday, praising Indian cooperation on trade and security matters.
“We are forging a new and more mature phase in our critical bilateral relationship, one defined by near constant consultation aimed at advancing the interests and values we share and working through the inevitable differences.”
The meeting Wednesday marks the latest round of high-level talks between the two countries, following a visit to India last week by U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. It also comes days after the Obama administration exempted India from sanctions barring Iranian oil imports.
Krishna said there has been an “unprecedented intensity” to U.S.-Indian relations over the past year
“We are, Madame Secretary, on the right track. As I say, we have reasons to be satisfied but not complacent.”
Clinton said bilateral trade and investment between the two countries is expected to exceed $100 billion this year, up more than 40 percent since 2009, but added the U.S. is concerned about additional barriers that are preventing trade from growing even more.
A number of U.S. companies have complained about difficulties investing in India and Washington would like to see some big retailers. like Walmart, have an easier time getting a foothold in India's expanding economy. But Raghbendra Jha, a South Asia analyst at Australian National University, tells VOA that such problems do not affect long-term prospects.
“Yes, there are some short-term difficulties. The investment climate has deteriorated, primarily because India has had difficulty dealing with inflation and in dealing with its budgetary deficits — budgetary and current account deficits. Once these are brought under reasonable control, you will see that the investment climate will indeed improve and there will be an upswing to the cycle.”
Krishna said Wednesday it was inevitable there would be questions or doubts about aspects of the evolving relationship between the two key democracies. But he insisted the focus should instead shift to finding ways for Washington and Delhi to harness the full potential of a partnership that he says could help define the 21st century.
One area both the U.S. and India have repeatedly highlighted is Afghanistan, where the two countries have visions of what they call a “new silk road” that would connect business and consumers across almost all of South Asia.
