India, US must show the world how democracy can deliver: Kerry on India's I-Day

Washington: US Secretary of State John Kerry has said India and the United States have a common responsibility to prove to the world that democracies can deliver for their citizens in the 21st century, as he greeted people of India on their 68th Independence Day. [caption id=“attachment_1665411” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) said India must show how democracy can deliver. PM Narendra Modi (right) will visit US in September. Reuters[/caption] “In this century India and the United States have a common responsibility: to prove that democracies can deliver for their citizens. “With the shared prosperity we create for one another and for the world, we can prove to the world the power of our shared ideals,” Kerry said on Thursday in his Independence Day message to the people of India. “As India celebrates Independence Day, we celebrate with you. We reflect upon the possibilities of the shared future that India and the US will shape together,” Kerry said sending greetings on behalf of the US President, Barack Obama. “When more than half a billion Indian men and women went to the polls last spring, you were a part of the largest democratic exercise in human history. You showed the world how a diverse people, comprised of citizens from different faiths, speaking many different languages, can determine a common future,” he said referring to the general elections held early this year. Kerry, who was in India last month for the fifth India-US Strategic Dialogue said, “I saw first-hand India’s dynamism and the vital importance of deepening the ties between our nations when I travelled to New Delhi last month for our 5th annual Strategic Dialogue. “I met students, researchers, and professors at the Indian Institute of Technology who were developing clean energy technologies,” he said referring to his recent visit. “I spoke with Indian business leaders about opportunities for American companies to participate in India’s economic revitalisation. “I joined colleagues from across the State Department and the Obama Administration in a series of in-depth conversations with our Indian counterparts on issues from security, to energy, to educational exchange,” Kerry said. “On each of those issues, and in all my conversations, this truth was crystal clear: our partnership has never mattered more,” said the Secretary of State in his Independence Day message. In another statement, Senator Mark Warner, co-Chair of the Senate Indian Caucus greeted people of India on the occasion of its Independence Day. “As the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, I want to send best wishes to Indians around the world and Indian Americans here in Virginia, in recognition of all that India has achieved since August 15, 1947,” he said. “We have a unique opportunity to take the US-India relationship to a new level with the recent election of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, and I look forward to his speech from the historic Red Fort in New Delhi,” Warner said. PTI