Speeches & Articles

Remarks of Consul General Beth Payne
“The Future of Indo-U.S. Relations”
At the Study Circle, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal
July 23, 2009

July 23, 2009

Professor Rajat Kanta Ray, Upacharya,
Professor Sandip Basu Sarbadhikary, Secretary, Study Circle and Professor Department of History,
Faculty members, students, and invitees
Namaskar

I am pleased to be here in historic Santiniketan.  I know that Rabindranath Tagore holds a prominent place in the hearts of Indians – especially Bengalis – and I am very happy to be able to see first-hand the unique educational institutions he created, and how these continue to thrive and grow.  It is very inspiring.

I would like to speak to you today about the state of U.S.-India relations.  First let me say that I think they are very strong, and will continue to grow under the new American Ambassador, Timothy Roemer, who arrived in New Delhi last week.  As you know, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently concluded a very successful visit to Mumbai and New Delhi.  She is the highest-ranking official from the Obama administration to have visited India thus far and we expect President Obama to visit India sometime next year.

At the close of Secretary Clinton’s meetings with the Government of India on July 20, the two governments issued a joint statement regarding their intentions to accelerate the growth of our bilateral relationship to enhance global prosperity and stability in the 21st century.  The U.S. and Indi also signed agreements and announced commitments, outlining a Strategic Dialogue that will focus on five principal pillars - strategic cooperation, energy and climate change, education, economic trade and development, and science and technology.

In the area of strategic cooperation, working groups will address non-proliferation, counterterrorism, and military cooperation.  The Energy and Climate Change working groups will continue our successful energy dialogue and begin discussions on actions to address the challenge of global climate change.  The Education and Development working groups will enhance our partnership in education and initiate discussions about women’s empowerment.  The Economics, Trade, and Agriculture working groups will continue and strengthen our discussions on business, trade, and food security.  Finally, the Science and Technology, Health, and Innovation working groups will explore new areas for cooperation in leading technologies and in addressing global health challenges.

Under the leadership of President Obama, I believe that our relationship with India will continue to grow.  We are forging ever stronger partnerships and friendships with the government and the people of India in a wide range of areas including art, culture, education, economics, international diplomacy, and security.

We would like to see across-the-board growth in our relationship that reflects the shared interests, values, sense of challenges, and ever-burgeoning ties between our two economies and societies.  India and the United States have shared interests in a number of areas, including stabilizing the world economy, bringing peace to the Middle East and South Asia, protecting the environment by finding alternative forms of affordable and clean energy, and ensuring that terrorists cannot threaten any country’s peace and harmony.

In forging this strong partnership, you will find that President Obama has already developed an appreciation for Indian culture and values.  He has found inspiration in the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, whose portrait hung prominently in his Senate office.  He explains that Gandhi “embodies the kind of transformational change that can be made when ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things.”  

President Obama recognizes that the major economies, including those of China and India, are tightly linked, and he views India as South Asia’s economic powerhouse.  President Obama has already taken unprecedented steps to stabilize the United States' economy and will be seeking advice and assistance from India in efforts to ensure that our economic growth corresponds with, and leads, global growth.

President Obama will continue to support initiatives that will increase trade between the United States and India.

President Obama believes the climate change crisis must not be underestimated, nor should the science behind it or the facts on the ground be ignored or dismissed.  Like India, he believes that the time for realism and action is now.  This administration recognizes that the solutions to this crisis are both domestic and global, that all nations bear responsibility and all nations must work together to find solutions.  Under President Obama, America will take the lead in addressing climate change, both by making commitments of our own and engaging other nations to do the same.

President Obama has already committed to reach agreement on a post-2012 international effort to combat climate change.  We see the December 2009 Summit in Copenhagen as a critical milestone and will work hard with all of our global partners, including India, to reach an agreement by then. 
 
President Obama underscores the need for clean energy also.  In support of the Energy Bill placed before the Senate on June 25, President Obama said, “Now is the time for us to lead. The energy bill before the House will finally create a set of incentives that will spark a clean energy transformation of our economy.  It will spur the development of low-carbon sources of energy -- everything from wind, solar, and geothermal power to safe nuclear energy and cleaner coal.  It will spur new energy savings like the efficient windows and other materials that reduce heating costs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer.”

President Obama sees Pakistan and Afghanistan as “the central front in the fight against terrorism” and is committed to forging a peace in Afghanistan.  At the NATO 60th Anniversary Summit held in early April, allies strongly endorsed President Obama’s strategy for Afghanistan and committed to helping Afghans take on more responsibility for their political future.  Like India, we want to see Pakistan succeed as a moderate, modern, democratic country.

The Obama administration will use diplomacy, development, and defense to root out al-Qaida, the Taliban and other violent extremists.  Explaining his strategy to take on terrorism through general welfare and development of the masses, President Obama said in his speech at Cairo University in early June that “military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  That's why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who've been displaced.  That's why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend on.”
 
One of President Obama’s first actions was to appoint Ambassador Richard Holbrooke as his Special Representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve coordination among United States agencies and to actively seek advice and assistance from countries such as India, who share our goal of rebuilding Afghanistan.  During his recent visit to the region, Ambassador Holbrook underscored the importance of promotion of human rights and democracy including protecting civilians and developing institutions.  He also mentioned in New Delhi the "common threat" posed by terrorism emanating from South Asia, and that the US sought India's "full involvement" for the success of its new strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In our efforts to combat terrorism, however, the Obama administration will not sacrifice American values – democracy, rule of law, respect for our Constitution and international law – all values that India shares.  On his first day in office, President Obama signed three executive orders, emblematic of the change that his new administration represents, to close Guantanamo within one year, apply military procedures to all interrogations and review the USG detention policy.  He has, in no uncertain terms, reaffirmed that terrorism must be fought, without, however, sacrificing our core democratic values. 
 
In our two nations there is openness and robust debate – our free and professional media is a pillar of our respective democracies.  We are both committed to democracy as the best way to achieve our dreams, to address grievances and resolve differences.  In both our nations, diversity is our strength and democracy a force of social unity.

President Obama could have been describing India when he said in his inaugural speech “for we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.  We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.  We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth ...  We cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass, that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve, that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself.”  With these shared values and common interests, India will be an important and valued partner as America plays its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

Thank you.