AMN / WEB DESK

Several top Biden administration officials have praised India External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for his commitment to take US-India ties to new heights. The officials termed the India-US ties as one of the most defining partnerships, calling Jaishankar the architect of modern US-India relations.

These accolades came during a special reception hosted by India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, in honor of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The event was attended by notable figures from the Biden administration, including US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden’s domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr. Rahul Gupta, and Director of the National Science Foundation Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan. 

Veteran diplomat Richard Verma emphasized the role of hard-working Indian Americans who have built the US-India ties and said, it is one of the most consequential relationships of this century. Hundreds of diaspora members from across the United States also participated in the event.

Giving credit to the Indian Americans, Jaishankar noted the importance of people-to-people connections in building stronger bilateral ties and that the Indian diaspora was a bridge between the two nations. Biden’s top advisor, a prominent Indian American in the White House, Neera Tandon said that it’s important that India and the US have a strong person-to-person, community-to-community leader relationship based on the strength of the diaspora and today the Indian Americans are throughout the administration at prominent positions. 

Jaishankar who was on a visit to the US from September 22-30 during which he addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and in Washington, met with several top US officials including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Ambassador Katherine Tai and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.