At the G20 Meeting, PM Modi "Instrumental In Forging Consensus": US Official

A senior White House official predicted that 2023 will be the biggest year in the history of India-US relations.

According to a top White House official, the Biden administration views this alliance as one of the most important partnerships for America anyplace in the world, and 2022 has been a huge year for India-US relations and the next year will be even greater.

Jon Finer, the principal deputy national security adviser, also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his role in fostering consensus at the recently concluded G-20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

At a gathering of several hundred Indian-Americans on Sunday, Mr. Finer said, "When the United States and (its) President (Joe) Biden look around the world for partners that can truly help carry the load, truly helped advance a global agenda, India and Prime Minister Modi are very high on that list."

"We just saw this in real-time at the G-20 where the prime minister was instrumental in forging a consensus around a joint statement among a far-flung group of countries," the speaker said. "We also saw this in the comments and work that the prime minister has done and that other members of the Indian government have done to highlight the increased risk related to nuclear issues."

According to Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India's ambassador to the US, this relationship is being guided by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden, who have met more than 15 times, the most recent of which was in Bali last week. He was speaking to the group at a lunch reception he hosted to mark the start of the "Festival Season."

The distinctive event put on by the Indian Embassy highlighted the syncretic nature of Indian culture. Festivals of all religions were joyfully observed at the event, from Diwali to Hanukkah, Eid to Bodhi Day, and Gurpurab to Christmas.

The event, which was attended by high-ranking members of the Biden administration including Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and Senior Advisor to President Neera Tanden, amply illustrated India's stature as the epitome of "Unity in Diversity" — a place where different faiths have not only coexisted but also thrived.

This gathering, according to Ms. Tanden, "truly illustrates so much of what President Biden is referring to when he talks about an inclusive country, a country that embraces our variety and our strength in diversity."

"I appreciate the alliance between the United States and India. Although it was significant in the past, I believe it will become even more significant in the future "said Dr. Murthy.

In his reflections on the administration's dedication to the India-US partnership, Mr. Finer stated that 2022 and 2023 are two pivotal years.

"2022 marked a watershed in US-India relations. In 2023, we anticipate having an even larger year. The Quad summit is coming up on the schedule. Including Prime Minister Modi, I know we're all looking forward to India's G20 presidency, "In his remarks, Mr. Finer remarked.

He made mention of the 2+2 Quad ministerial meetings that will take place this spring, the revival of the CEO dialogue between Indi and the US, and the beginning of the 2023 dialogue on critical and emerging technologies.

That's just the beginning, according to Mr. Finer, who also noted that the years 2022 and 2023 serve as a metaphor for how this connection has developed over the past many decades.

The entire Biden administration, including the president, views this as one of the most important relationships the US has anywhere in the world, but it is also, almost uniquely, one of the relationships with the greatest potential to develop further, grow stronger, and advance, according to Mr. Finer.

"We have a strong commitment to carrying it out. That is the case, and it is understandable why. There has been a strong bipartisan consensus in support of the US-India relationship for decades and a high degree of consistency from one administration to the next, he added, at a time when it may be very challenging to establish such a consensus in Washington on nearly anything.

"Our interests are clearly becoming more aligned, both geopolitically and as two of the most powerful democracies in the world. And last, there are, of course, the strong linkages and extraordinary dynamism of our diaspora group, as well as any cultural or business relationships.

And lastly, he continued, "there are the relationships of our leadership, which we regard to be enormously essential. I don't want this to be lost."

Numerous prominent dignitaries, friends of India from the administration, the US Congress, various states, the think-tank community, corporate sector organizations, and the Indian diaspora were among those present at the event.

Amos Hochstein, the Special Presidential Coordinator, and Aruna Miller, the incoming lieutenant governor of Maryland, were notable attendees.

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