US President Donald Trump's new South Asia policy is a "dramatic shift" from America's previous policy towards the region, a newly formed advocacy group said today.
In his policy address on Afghanistan and South Asia, Trump this week said the pillar of his new strategy was a change in America's approach to Pakistan, considered a long- time ally of Washington.
"President Trump's policy announcement on South Asia is a dramatic shift from the previous policy of the US towards South Asia," Mukesh Aghi, president of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), said in a statement.
The USISPF was established this summer by top corporate leaders in both countries, who are committed to creating a powerful strategic partnership between the US and India.
Among its board of directors include John Chambers from Cisco, Indra Nooyi from PepsiCo, Ajay Banga from MasterCard and former US ambassador to India Frank Wisner. USIISPF has hailed the South Asia policy announcement of Trump.
For the first time, the US has publicly acknowledged the importance of US-India partnership in the development of a secure and prosperous Afghanistan," Aghi said.
He said India has historically played a crucial role in balancing the geopolitical equation in South Asia and has been a reliable and trustworthy partner for the US.
India has been an important ally for Afghanistan especially in infrastructure development, health services and military equipment, however, India's contribution had been decoupled from the US policy until now, he noted.
"This announcement corrects that anomaly. It will build trust and partnership between the two countries and usher in significant strategic and business impact," Aghi said.
USISPF said that it is focused on driving economic growth, job creation, innovation, inclusion, and entrepreneurship in the US and India. It has a strong presence in the US and India, including in New York, Washington DC, Silicon Valley, Mumbai and New Delhi.
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