Speeches & Articles

Remarks by Consul General Beth A. Payne
Press Conference
Patna, Bihar
December 20, 2008

December 20, 2008

Friends:

I am delighted to be among such a distinguished group of media professionals.  I’ve come to Bihar at a time when ties between the U.S. and India have never been stronger.  We have overcome past differences and are charting a new course for the future in many areas, including green technologies, education, commerce, trade and investment.

At this time my first thoughts and prayers are for the victims, the survivors and their families of the recent Mumbai attacks.  Such incidents undermine the ideas of peace, freedom and prosperity – ideas that people of the U.S. and India share and cherish.  The emerging partnership between our nations is based on these shared, noble ideas.
 
I am excited to be in India also because of a personal connection I formed with India many years ago.  One of my best friends at University was an Indian business student.  We spent many hours talking about the day India would take its rightful place among the world’s great economic powers.  He believed that Indian entrepreneurs are the most innovative and creative in the world and predicted that once given the freedom to compete, they would help create a prosperous country.  While I lost touch with my friend over time, I never forgot his dream.

Since I arrived in India four months ago, I have been visiting the various states of eastern India.  I was aware of India’s rich diversity of culture and people, but traveling outside Kolkata among the peoples of nearby states has really brought this truth home to me.   Bihar of course has a long and distinguished history, as both the home of the Buddha and Mahavira during much of their lives, and the fabled city of Pataliputra.
 
Since coming to Patna yesterday, I have been busy meeting with the Honorable Chief Minister and other senior government officials. The Chief Minister shared his vision of Bihar and his strategy to achieve this vision.  I have also met people outside of the government – NGOs, intellectuals, religious figures and concerned citizens who briefed me about the wonderful work they are doing.
 
I salute the people of Bihar for their resilience in the face of the devastating Koshi river floods earlier this year.  The U.S. government – through the State Department’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the United States Agency for International Development – worked alongside the people of Bihar to bring relief and rehabilitation.  We will continue to do our best to extend such support as and when needed.
 
My impression after meeting many different people in the past two days is that India has moved past the phase of being an "emerging" economy and is in the midst of an historic economic transformation, in the government and the private sector.  And, Bihar is very much a part of this process.  Individual entrepreneurs, companies, business associations and government offices are recasting their roles to create new public/private partnerships and implement cutting-edge economic programs.  The U.S. welcomes this transformation, which, by fueling India’s economic growth, will also expand economic ties between our two countries.

Following this event I am scheduled to make remarks at an interfaith dialogue hosted by Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed at Khuda Baksh Library.  Such dialogues can effectively promote and explore better relations amongst and between different societies.  It also ensures that our friendship with India goes beyond economic ties, but also expands cultural and religious ties.

Thank you once again for being here and I would be happy to take your questions.