WASHINGTON: Noting that President Donald Trump is very fond of hiscountry’s growing relationship with India, a top American diplomat has saidthat “sky is the limit” for this bilateral relationship.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being aggressive in pursuingeconomic and administrative reforms, the US Ambassador to the UnitedNations, Nikki Haley, told a select gathering high-achieverIndian-Americans that the Trump administration has also undertaken asimilar operation.
It makes sense for the two democracies, having so much in common values towork together, Ms Haley said in her remarks during her luncheon meetinghosted by the Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Singh Sarna, at hisresidence on Tuesday.
The luncheon, organised at a very short notice, was attended by some of thetop Indian-Americans from across the country.
“It is always a delight to see the sense of pride that Ambassador Haley hasin her Indian roots, and the high value she attaches to the India-USrelationship even as she plays such a prominent role in the Americanpolitical sphere,” Mr Sarna told PTI a day after.
Ms Haley said when she entered the Trump administration, she desperatelywanted to see the US-India relations to be very strong “which wasn’t thecase during the last two presidencies”.
“It didn’t make sense to me because when you look at the values, they’rethe same. When you look at the work ethic and what they believe from acorporate standpoint — the same. When you look at the research and all thethings that we do, these two democracies have so much in common,” she said.
It makes sense for the two countries to be friends, the top Indian-Americanin the Trump administration said.
“We’re seeing a growing interest, and a growing relationship and seeingthat happen. The president is very, very fond of what is happening withIndia, growing that relationship trying to make sure that we do more withIndia,” Ms Haley said.
“I think that sky’s the limit now. We are going to continue to try and showthe values of India to the United States and continue trying to show thevalues of the US to India,” she said.
Ms Haley said PM Modi was aggressively pursuing reforms and changes inIndia.
“He very much wants to streamline and do all of these reforms that are verytrue for this (Trump) administration too. So I think it’s a goodcombination to have them (Trump- Modi) together,” Ms Haley said.
Later in the evening, Ms Haley attended the maiden State of the Unionaddress by President Trump at the US Capitol.
Ms Haley is the first ever cabinet ranking Indian-American in anypresidential administration.
In his remarks, Mr Sarna described Ms Haley as a star of the Trumpadministration.
Mr Sarna said Ms Haley’s story really showed that “can’t is not an option”.
“Coming from a coming from a family of immigrants, coming from a relativelysmall rural town and moving so quickly to hold the post of Governor was initself a huge achievement,” said Mr Sarna.
“From there to here when over the last one year we have seen you become, ifI may say so, the star of this administration,” he said.