'Committed to highest level': Outgoing Envoy Ken Juster hails 'broad & rich' US-India ties

Before Ken Juster, the US Ambassador to India’s tenure comes to an end, he not only hailed the US-India partnership but also said on January 5 that Washington is ‘committed’ to the bilateral ties at ‘highest level’. In a public address, Juster said that the United States backs India’s elevation on the world stage and hailed the democratic model of the nation that does not hinder the sovereignty of other countries. Touching upon the Indo-pacific region, the US Ambassador to India said that it “has become a reality in the past four years”.

Ken Juster also noted that outgoing US President Donald Trump in 2017 had described America’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific enabling the independent and sovereign nations with diverse cultures to prosper together “side by side” and thrive in both freedom as well as in peace. In the farewell policy address, Juster elaborated on the ambition and the milestones achieved in the US-India partnership throughout the last four years of Trump administration.

"The concept of Indo-Pacific has been many years in the making. It is in the past four years that our countries have shown the ambition to turn it into reality,” said Ken Juster.

He added, “In 2017 President Trump described the US vision as for a free and open Indo-Pacific. As one as sovereign and independent nations with diverse cultures can prosper side by side and thrive in freedom and peace.”

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Read His Full Speech:

US Ambassador Juster's Farewell Address by Republic World on Scribd

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Juster on US-India: ‘No bilateral relationship more real’

Further weighing in on the enhanced US-India relationship, Ken Juster said that there are no bilateral ties which are more “complex, broad, and real” as that shared between Washington and New Delhi. He noted that both nations have cooperated in a wide range of sectors including defence, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, cybersecurity, trade, investment, energy, environment, health, education, science and technology, energy, environment, agriculture, space, and oceans among others. 

"There is no bilateral relationship more complex, broad and rich in substance as that of the U.S. and India," he said.

The US Ambassador to India also said that both the United States and India have articulated a vision and common set of principals for the Indo-pacific through high-level engagements on maritime security, COVID-19 pandemic management and regional connectivity. Further, he said the 2+2 ministerial dilogies between both the nations have also enhanced the cooperation in defence and security. 

On trade and investment, Ken Juster said, “Prior to the COVID19 pandemic, the US-India trade and investment relationship continued to grow and expand.  In 2019, #bilateraltrade in goods and services had surged to $146.1 billion, significantly up from the $18.6 billion mark in 2001.”

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