By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : India’s Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao has described the Hispanic community in the US as an important partner as India’s relations with Washington become increasingly multifaceted and multidimensional.
The strong bipartisan support in the US Congress, including among the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, was a major driving force in realising the qualitative transformation of India-US relations in recent years, she told a caucus group at dinner she hosted for them Tuesday.
Giving a brief overview of the global strategic partnership between India and the US, Rao highlighted their shared values and converging interests, drawing reference to the vast canvas of bilateral cooperation, according to the Indian Embassy.
She also highlighted the importance of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, one of the oldest caucuses in the US Congress formed in 1976, as a representative body for an important group of constituents in the US that showcased the plurality of the American society.
Speaking on behalf of the Hispanic Caucus, Congressman Silvestre Reyes highlighted the shared values of democracy and pluralism between India and the United States, and described India as a very important partner of the United States.
He echoed Rao’s observation that the India-US strategic partnership offers a pillar of stability amidst many uncertainties-political, security and economic-facing the world today.
Congressmen Ruben Hinojosa and Jim Costa and Congresswoman Grace Napolitano also attended the dinner.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])