India is a real partner of US: Kerry

‘’India has a long record of being a leader, of being responsible, and it is particularly important right now at a time when we see in the region some choices being made that may accelerate possible arms construction, which we have serious questions about.  

We’ve raised them with various partners in the region,’’ Secretary of State John Kerry said after a meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. Secretary Kerry hoped that the Nuclear Security Summit would contribute to everybody’s understanding about their respective global responsibilities and choices. 

‘’President Obama has called the relationship with India a defining relationship of this century, and there are many reasons for that.  India is a powerful, big, the largest democracy in the world, and a real partner with the United States on a lot of technology, energy issues,’’ he added. 

Doval hoped the Indo-US cooperation would find a new strength and new height in the years to come. ‘’We share many concerns, particularly about terrorism, concerns about the cyber space and we’ll be working together on that,’’ he added. 

Kerry also hoped that the Indo-US civil nuclear partnership would further bolster India’s energy security and the strong economic relationship between the two countries. He commended India for its leadership on clean energy and reducing carbon emissions, as well as its improving resilience in the face of climate change. 

Briefing reporters, State Department spokesperson John Kirby said the two discussed ways to increase diplomatic cooperation on a range of regional and global issues, to include counter-terrorism efforts. They also discussed the importance of dealing more effectively with illegal and unreported fishing.