'No Indo-Pacific Without India': US Ambassador To India Eric Garcetti On Diplomatic Ties

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Tuesday said there cannot be an Indo-Pacific without India and that the US cares for India’s security.

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said the upcoming state visit of PM Modi to the US is going to be an opportunity to elevate the relationship between the two leaders and the two countries.

Source : PTI

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Tuesday said there can not be an Indo-Pacific without India. He also said that the US sees India eye to eye for peace, prosperity, the planet and people. While speaking ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official state visit to the US from June 21 to 24, where President Joe Biden will host him at the White House, Garcetti said it is going to be an opportunity to elevate the relationship between the two leaders and the two countries.

#WATCH | "We can't have Indo-Pacific without India. For peace, prosperity, the planet and people -India and the US see eye to eye," says US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti. pic.twitter.com/N4k8T2LBhn

— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2023

He also spoke on defence co-operation between India and the US saying that both countries trust each other. Garcetti said the US cares about India’s security.

"We care about India's security. We want India to be safe and we want to work with India to make the Indo-Pacific safe," said the Ambassador, as quoted by ANI.

He also commented on the matter pertaining to the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana. He said we have all lived through the trauma of 09/11 and the Mumbai attack.

"The court has given the mandate that this extradition should occur and that is my expectation," Garcetti said while speaking to the news agency.

Garcetti also spoke on the US panel asking the State Dept to declare India a 'country of particular concern'.

"It's an independent commission, a part of the government, but it didn't call India a country of particular concern. It did highlight incidents as we could highlight in countries such as our own, where there is intolerance and where we need to stand together to make sure people of every religious background feel their rights are respected," said the US Ambassador to India.

#WATCH | "It's an independent commission, a part of the government, but it didn't call India a 'country of particular concern'. It did highlight incidents as we could highlight in countries such as our own, where there is intolerance and where we need to stand together to make… pic.twitter.com/ZmQtoBSHQM

— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2023

Talking on the matter of Indian students in the US, he said, "We are so excited to welcome Indian students to America. The US offered the most number of visas to Indian students last year. We see this helps our economy, it helps India’a economy,” said the ambassador hoping that the trend will continue to grow in the future too

Gacettti also commented on his time so far in India and said that he felt like he is at home. While talking about his objectives in India, he said, “My priority is to help India wherever India needs help.”

He also shared his views on meeting superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Mukesh Ambani and watching IPL. "This is to me India and the Indian dream that very much feels like the American dream too,” said Garcetti.

On being asked about PM Modi’s first official visit to the US in nine years Garcetti said, "It's going to be an opportunity to elevate the relationship between our two leaders and our countries."

Modi has met former US President Barack Obama and Donald Trump at the White House. However, those meetings were not state visits.