India's southern states have a key role in India-US ties: US Ambassador Eric Garcetti

On his maiden official visit to the southern Indian city of Chennai, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti said that the India-US relationship is growing by leaps and bounds and has never been stronger. Highlighting the busy and activity-filled months that lay ahead for him, he pointed out the impending State visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, next week, and also the India visit of US President Joe Biden in September. He added that PM Modi and President Biden have already met twice this year and will meet twice or thrice in the coming months.

Referring to India being the host nation of the G20 2023, the ambassador said that India is taking its place, acting as a bridge between the East-West and the North-South. "From the Seabed to the stars, India and America are working together," he said, outlining the bilateral efforts and cooperation.

The Ambassador presided over the 247th-anniversary celebration of U.S. Independence, hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai. American Independence Day, also referred to as the Fourth of July in the United States, commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.  The event highlighted US-India areas of cooperation, including in the Indo-Pacific, gender equity, innovation, space, and climate change, while also recognizing robust US-India people-to-people ties and institutional partnerships.

Speaking at the event, he said, “The deep ties between the USand India are gaining strength in many key areas and South India has a key role in the partnership. We look forward to continuing to work with India on our shared goals in the Indo-Pacific region. We continue to engage India to deepen our cooperation on the vital issues of peace, prosperity, the planet, and our peoples.”

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