India-US ties can be described in 5 baskets, including strategic, COVID-19, education: Amb Sandhu

As Biden ministration prepares to take reigns of country, India's top diplomat in US has said that New Delhi's priorities for relations with America in days ahe can be described into five baskets: strategic, COVID-19, ICT-digital, climate change and education.

India's Ambassor to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu me comments during his dress at PaanIIT Global Summit on Friday.

“Many people ask me about what India's priorities are for India-US relations in days ahe. I tell m about five main baskets,” Sandhu said.

“One of course strategic; two, COVID related, as it is an immediate priority for both countries - pharma, healthcare, vaccine come under this basket; third, ICT-digital-start up which has ability to transform our lives forever; where many of you are leers; fourth, climate change, environment, and renewables especially solar; and last but t least, education,” he said.

President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, is due to take over as 46th US President on January 20 after he defeated incumbent President Donald Trump, a Republican, in vember 3 presidential election.

ting that kwledge, like happiness, doubles when shared, he said that Mahatma Gandhi taught us t to wall our houses or stuff our windows; he wanted cultures of all lands to be blown about as freely as possible but without being blown off feet, he said.

With same spirit, Government of India has recently introduced New Education Policy (NEP) after a gap of 34 years, he ded.

NEP opens up new opportunities to forge even stronger tie-ups between Indian and US acemic institutions, he said, ding that embassy's Education Team has alrey been in touch with several US universities.

“I have personally written to many Presidents. We at Embassy look forward to facilitating more partnerships,” he said.

NEP approved by Union Cabinet replaces 34-year-old National Policy on Education framed in 1986 and is aimed at paving way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global kwledge superpower.

NEP allows top ranking institutes of world to set-up campuses in India. Earlier, HRD Ministry h introduced several initiatives under Study in India programme.

Sandhu said four million strong Indian-American community and 200,000 Indian students in US, mostly in STEM (Science, Techlogy, Engineering, and Mamatics) areas, have been a source of strength for India-US relations.

“As Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi said, a nation like India, endowed with youth power, cant afford to dream small. In US, we see a very close friend and strong partner, who is critical to transforming those dreams, development aspirations of 1.3 billion people into reality,” he said.

“In post-COVID world, we will need concerted and focused efforts to vance people-to-people links between our two countries. se could also be critical to shaping global growth trajectory,” he ded.

Observing that given multifaceted nature of India-US relations, re is currently area of human endeavour where India and US are t collaborating with each or, ambassor said.

two countries have indeed come a long way; but y do have a long way to go too, given true potential of relations.

“And Governments cant do this alone. People like you, business and industry, have to take forward nda so that entire world can benefit,” Sandhu said. PTI LKJ RS AKJ RS