Thaindian News

Washington, Jan 29 (IANS) President Barack Obama looks at United States and India as “natural allies” and is keen to strengthen and deepen their ties built over the years.”Without getting into a lot of specifics, I think that the President believes that, obviously, the US and India are natural friends and natural allies,” Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters at the White House Wednesday.

“The President looks forward over the course of this term to strength and deepen the partnership that’s been built between the two countries over these past many years, to strengthen those ties,” he said.

Gibbs said White House would have more to say about building relationship between the two countries in the future.

The spokesman said Obama also wished Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a speedy recovery after his recent surgery.

As it focuses on Pakistan and Afghanistan, the White House has for some reason chosen not to unveil the new administration’s India policy, but a couple of statements so far do point towards a continuation of former President George Bush’s policy to shape India-US ties into a “strategic partnership”.

On its Republic Day, Obama was quick to greet India with a message that the Indian people “should know that they have no better friend and partner than the people of the US”.

Noting that the two “nations have built broad and vibrant partnerships in every field of human endeavour,” he then said: “It is our shared values that form the bedrock of a robust relationship across peoples and governments.”

“Those values and ideals provide the strength that enables us to meet any challenge, particularly from those who use violence to try to undermine our free and open societies,” he added.