Published 13:22 IST, February 18th 2021
US troops dance with Indian soldiers on a Punjabi song to celebrate Vasant Panchmi: Watch
The US State Department, on February 17, shared a video of Indian and US soldiers celebrating the festival of Basant Panchmi in the middle of the Yudh Abhyas.
The US State Department, on February 17, shared a video of Indian and US soldiers celebrating the festival of Basant Panchmi in the middle of the Yudh Abhyas Defense Exercise. The video was originally posted by 1-2 Striker Brigade Combat team of the US Army and showed soldiers grooving to Punjabi track 3 peg. In their tweet, they also thanked the Indian army for inviting them to the “beautiful celebrations”.
Meanwhile, the American State Department hailed the celebrations highlighting that the US-India defence cooperation was more than just Interoperability. “Wonderful to see U.S. and Indian soldiers celebrate the Basant Panchami festival in the middle of the U.S.-India Yudh Abhyas defence exercises. This is what #USIndia defence cooperation is about -- not just increased interoperability, but also stronger people-to-people ties,” they wrote. Yudh Abhyas is a regularly-scheduled bilateral exercise hosted by the Indian and US Armies which allows for an exchange of knowledge between the two militaries using a UN peacekeeping scenario.
The video clip also caught netizen's eye who then flocked to the post. "Let the rhythm begin" commented one user. Meanwhile, another added, "Indians need not a festival but only a Punjabi song to start dancing". Look at the tweets here:
Read: India-US Ties Can Be Described In 5 Baskets, Including Strategic, COVID-19, Education: Amb Sandhu
US-India ties significant
US-India ties enjoy bipartisan support in the American Congress. A few months ago, two top American lawmakers said that close partnership between the two countries assumes significance in view of the "aggression" that New Delhi faces from Beijing. Writing jointly to demonstrate the strong bipartisan support for the US-India relationship, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said members of both the parties recognise the impact that a strong US-India partnership will have on the trajectory of the 21st century.
"As Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi said in February of this year, our ties 'are no longer just another partnership. It is a far greater and closer relationship'", said the letter signed by Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Michael T McCaul, its Ranking Member.
Read: India-US Ties Can Be Described In 5 Baskets, Including Strategic, COVID-19, Education: Amb Sandhu
Updated 13:22 IST, February 18th 2021