Burns: U.S. Helped by India's Strength, Progress
Washington - India's strength and progress on the world stage are in the strategic interest of the United States, which is why the U.S.-India relationship is one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century, Under Secretary of State William Burns says.
"India plays an increasingly significant role in Asia and on a wide range of global challenges," Burns said in a June 1 speech at the Council on Foreign Relations ( http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/June/20100601165656SBlebahC0.5747906.html ) in Washington. "Soon to be the world's most populous country and already the world's largest democracy, India is now the world's second-fastest-growing economy and a central player" in the Group of 20 (G20) advanced economies.
"Never has there been a moment when India and America mattered more to one another," Burns said. "And never has there been a moment when partnership between India and America mattered more to the rest of the globe."
The U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue ( http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/May/20100521191156eaifas5.337167e-02.html ) began meetings June 1 and will continue through June 4 in Washington. It is co-chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna at the State Department. The dialogue provides an opportunity for direct talks between U.S. and Indian officials.
The dialogue covers a range of issues, from common security interests and defense cooperation to nuclear nonproliferation, education, climate change and energy security. It is not limited to the two governments; it will include the private sector and academia. The Obama administration has increasingly begun using "strategic dialogues" to build broader relations with key nations.
Obama will attend a reception for the participants in the talks June 3 and have an opportunity to meet with the Indian delegation, Burns said. A third of the U.S. Cabinet has visited India in the first 16 months of the administration, and Obama intends to visit India later this year.
Burns, the under secretary of state for political affairs, is holding talks June 2 with Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao. The four-day ministerial meeting expands June 3 to include Clinton and Krishna. Burns said there are 18 separate dialogues involving Cabinet and agency heads with Indian officials.
Burns acknowledged that the United States seeks stronger relations with Pakistan and other nations across the South Asia region, "but we will not inject ourselves into issues that divide the two governments unless India and Pakistan ask for our help. And we will continue to urge Pakistan to take decisive action against the violent extremists who threaten its own interests as much as they do the security of India and America."
Globalization and sweeping domestic reforms have helped unleash extraordinary growth in China and India, Burns said, which is causing considerable change in the global architecture. China and India are the most populous nations in the world followed by the United States and Indonesia. Asia is seeing significant change because of globalization's impact.
The United States recognizes these new realities and seeks stronger partnerships with emerging powers such as India to adapt the international architecture to support the roles their influence warrants, Burns said, but also to share responsibility for the common challenges facing the 21st century.
