Agencies/Washington
India is an “indispensable” partner for the US in global relations, US President Barack Obama said yesterday as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began a state visit to the US.
“Today our nations are two global leaders, driven, not to dominate other nations, but to build a future of security and prosperity for all nations,” Obama said at an elaborate ceremony at the White House to recognise the leader of the world’s largest democracy.
The two leaders were to hold a series of meetings to discuss a broad range of issues, including the world’s economic crisis and climate change, as well as promoting security in South Asia, fighting terrorism and the conflict in Afghanistan.
Obama and Singh are also expected to discuss climate change ahead of the December 7-18 summit in Copenhagen sponsored by the UN. Singh said in Washington on Monday the two leaders would sign a memorandum pledging to co-operate on way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The state visit is the first of Obama’s presidency and reflects the increasingly strong bond between the two countries as India emerges as a global and regional economic and diplomatic power.
US-Indian relations have grown strong in recent years after decades of frosty Cold War relations, centred around a nuclear co-operation agreement forged during the administration of Obama’s predecessor, George W Bush.
Obama and Singh were to hold a press conference later in the day and ahead of a state dinner in a marquee on the White House lawn.
Indian officials have reportedly been concerned that Obama gave a great deal of focus to relations with China and Pakistan, a country seen as vital for reining in the insurgency in Afghanistan but India is biggest historical rival. At the same time, Obama is demonstrating his commitment to India by hosting the first state dinner of his presidency in Singh’s honour.
“India and America are separated by distance, but bound together by the values of democracy, humanism, rule of law, and respect of fundamental human freedoms,” Singh said.
India has been strongly opposed to sharp measures against climate change, due to concerns that curbs would dampen the strong growth of its economy as the country emerges among the world’s leading economic powerhouses.
But Obama sees Indian co-operation on climate change as key to reaching an international agreement.
Singh earlier offered a hand to the US to help build an “open and inclusive” Asia.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the elaborate welcome showed that Obama considered the India relationship “very important.”
Singh, in an address to the Council on Foreign Relations, said the US and India together can reshape the political landscape in the wake of last year’s US-bred global economic meltdown.
“Our generation has an opportunity given to few to remake the new global equilibrium after the irreversible changes” of the crisis, Singh said.
“The India-US partnership can contribute to an orderly transition to the new order and be an important factor for global peace and stability,” he said.
Saying Asia was the focal point for major changes, Singh said:
“India and the US can work together with other countries in the region to create an open and inclusive regional architecture.”
Obama welcomed Singh days after the US leader paid his maiden visit to China, which in the course of a decade has emerged as the largest holder of the soaring US debt.
The president has faced heavy criticism at home for not achieving more in China, which made no visible goodwill gestures to the young leader such as freeing dissidents and did not nationally broadcast his sole public forum.
While Singh declined to criticise China, he brushed aside concern that India has not grown as quickly as the other Asian giant. He said New Delhi can be proud of its respect for human rights and cultural and religious minorities.
“There are several dimensions of human freedom which are not caught by the number with regard to the gross domestic product,” said Singh, himself an economist who spearheaded India’s free-market reforms.
In an earlier address, Singh highlighted efforts to open the economy and appealed for US investment - even in once taboo areas of defence and nuclear energy.
“A strategic relationship that is not underpinned by a strong economic relationship is unlikely to prosper,” Singh told a luncheon of the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-India Business Council.
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