India ready to share strengths and successes with the world: Ambassador Sandhu

Washington, Apr 16: India, the current G-20 president, is ready to share its strengths and successes with the world, its envoy here has said, asserting that the India-US partnership will not only benefit the two countries, but its rewards will be reaped around the globe.

India assumed the year-long presidency of the G-20 in December last year and aims to host a leaders' summit in New Delhi in early September.

The G-20 is an important forum of the world's 20 major developed and developing economies.

"As the current president of the G-20, we are ready to share our strengths and successes with the world -- from vaccines and skills to digital public good as well as what we learn from others," India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, said on Saturday while addressing a packed gathering of eminent Indian-Americans at the India House here.

Sandhu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden's believe that democracies will deliver.

"Our cooperation today touches every conceivable domain. Our cooperation today touches every conceivable domain; we are working closely under Quad, I2U2 and IPEF. Our diaspora has given more wings to our dreams and more winds to our sails. Ultimately, it is people of both countries that drive the India-US partnership. Your success is our success. The success of the India-US partnership will not only be in the interest of India and the US, but also the global good," he said.

In January, India and the US announced partnerships in the fields of space, defence, semiconductors and next-generation technologies.

The bilateral agreement is another example of the US bolstering ties in strategic areas with New Delhi, while isolating China.

Addressing the gathering, Sandhu said: "The nature nudges us to celebrate togetherness what I will call is use of harmony, a true reflection of the diversity of India. Today we bring together different religions, cultures, and geographies."

He made these comments on a day when Navreh was being celebrated in Kashmir, Vaisakhi in Punjab and north India, Vishu in Kerala, Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Bihu in Assam, Poila Boisakh in West Bengal, Mahavir Jayanti, Easter, Ramadan, Eid and the Jewish festival of Passover.

"India is a beautiful garland of diverse colours. We love and enjoy each of these festivals in the spirit of spring," he said.

Ambassador Sandhu also paid glowing tributes to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution on his 132nd birth anniversary.

"Dr Ambedkar studied in Columbia University here in the US, which played an important role in shaping his thoughts and vision. We know people, three small words with which the Indian and American Constitution start to reflect the story of liberty, freedom, non-violence, and rule of law, that we both nourish and cherish as nations," Sandhu said.

Sandhu said, 75 years ago, when independent India was born, "we were a nation, fighting for our own survival. We had to depend on others, even for our basic needs, such as food. Neither history, nor geography, gave us comfort."

"Today, India is the fifth largest economy globally; world's second largest agricultural producer; home to the third largest tech ecosystem in the world, creating a unicorn almost every week; running the world's largest renewable energy expansion programme; largest financial inclusion programme; the largest producer of generic drugs globally and the world's largest producer of movies," he added.

The event was attended by Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Kurt Campbell, the Indo Pacific Coordinator of US National Security Council, General Atomics Chief Executive Vivek Lall, White House drug czar Dr Rahul Gupta and other eminent Indian-Americans.