India on Friday welcomed the statement made by the United States’ Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, in which he talked about deepening cooperation with India and described New Delhi as a reliable partner. India has termed Tillerson’s statement as a positive evaluation of the relationship and expressed optimism over future.
‘’Secretary Tillerson has made a significant policy statement on India-US relations and its future. He brought out its various strengths and highlighted our shared commitment to a rule-based international order. We appreciate his positive evaluation of the relationship and share his optimism about its future directions. We look forward to welcoming him in India next week for detailed discussions on further strengthening of our partnership,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said here on Friday.
Tillerson, in his first major foreign policy speech made at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, on Wednesday, termed India as a ‘reliable partner’. He further said that the US wants a ‘dramatically deepen’ cooperation with India while adding that the US would ‘never have the same relationship with China, a non-democratic society’.
His statement comes a week before he is scheduled to visit India and Pakistan as part of his five-nation tour that would also take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Switzerland. In New Delhi, Tillerson will meet Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to ‘discuss further strengthening of strategic partnership and collaboration on security and prosperity’ in the Indo-Pacific region, the US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said on Friday. “The Secretary’s visit to India will advance the ambitious agenda laid out by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Prime Minister’s visit to the White House in June,” she added.
“The emerging Delhi-Washington strategic partnership stands upon a shared commitment upholding the rule of law, freedom of navigation, universal values, and free trade. Our nations are two bookends of stability - on either side of the globe - standing for greater security and prosperity for our citizens and people around the world,” Tillerson said.
While adding that the US wants a constructive relationship with China, Tillerson observed “We will not shrink from China’s challenges to the rules-based order, and where China subverts the sovereignty of neighboring countries and disadvantages the US and our friends…China’s provocative actions in the South China Sea directly challenge the international law and norms that the United States and India both stand for.” Responding swiftly to Tillerson’s statement, China called on the US to “abandon its prejudices”.
Terming Pakistan as an important partner in South Asia, Tillerson said the US expects Islamabad to take decisive action against terrorist groups based within its borders. “In doing so, Pakistan furthers stability and peace for itself and its neighbors, and improves its own international standing,” he added.