Thaindian News

Washington, Sep 28 (IANS) Looking at India-US relations as “a natural and enduring partnership,” Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao considers the future of their strategic partnership “very promising” despite issues and differences at times.

“It is my firm conviction that the future of India-US strategic partnership is very promising and will advance the cause of peace and prosperity of our two peoples,” she said at the 3rd FICCI-Brookings Dialogue on “Is there a future of India-US strategic dialogue” here Tuesday.

“Of course there would be issues on which there will be a difference of views,” Rao said at the dialogue organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry with the Washington think tank.

“In a relationship as wide in scope as India-US strategic partnership, it is quite natural that we would not have the same views on all the issues,” she said.

“But we need to deal with a sense of maturity without losing sight of the broad, long-term strategic goals of this relationship and with sensitivity to each other’s vital interests.”

Noting that “Terrorism remains a challenge for us,” she said both India and US “agree that success in Afghanistan and regional and global security require elimination of safe havens and infrastructure for terrorism and violent extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Rao said.

Later addressing the Georgetown University on “Trends in India’s Foreign Policy,” the former foreign secretary again dilated on how India’s relations with Pakistan have been complicated by the issue of terrorism.

While India was “determined to persevere with our dialogue with Pakistan in order to resolve outstanding issues so that our region is stable and peaceful, she said: “our relations can only grow in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.”

To sustain its growth trajectory India needed an environment that is free from transnational threats like terrorism, Rao said.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)