The president of the US-India Business Council (USIBC) Atul Keshap, while speaking to news agency ANI on Wednesday, said the forum is working to help both countries to develop the “strongest possible" defence ties.
“We are trying to help the US and India develop the strongest possible defence ties for our shared prosperity. The state visit of PM Modi marks the strategic, economic and technological convergence of the United States and India,” Keshap was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Keshap further added that he is excited regarding the Prime Minister’s ongoing visit and is looking forward to the address to the special joint session of the US Congress and the state dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
“I am really excited about this and I think that PM Modi and President Biden have shown real leadership in taking our countries to the next great level,” Keshap further added.
He said that India and the US are working together to ensure that every nation in the Indo-Pacific region can exercise their sovereignty and have equal opportunities to take care of its people.
“I think the US and India are trying to ensure that every country in the Indo-Pacific has sovereignty and opportunity to take care of its people. We believe in the peaceful arbitration of disputes and have strong defence ties so that our people are safe,” Keshap said further adding that both nations are Quad partners and are working together in several ways to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, pointing to the meeting of the defence staffs of Quad nations in California.
Keshap earlier said that PM Modi’s state visit will be a “truly momentous” occasion, while addressing the India Ideas Summit organised by the USIBC. Keshap also previously served as the former US envoy to India.
He further added that in the two years that he has been the president of the US-India Business Council he witnessed India-US ties transform and said the relationship is a “resilient" one.