NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday he was "excited" about India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he wanted a "new relationship" with the new right-wing government.
Kerry said he wanted to "see things move in a very positive way" as he seeks to reboot the US-India relationship after a recent spate of diplomatic disputes between the world's two largest democracies.
"We want a new relationship. We want to see things move in a very positive way," Kerry told India's NDTV during a visit to New Delhi.
"We are excited about Prime Minister Modi's direction and wanting to provide jobs," Kerry in a joint interview along with US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.
"The things he wants to do for electricity, for the people. We think there's a lot that the United States and India can work on together."
Kerry opened his first meetings with Modi's government on Thursday, including with Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, a key player in the new government.
The US and India, at odds during the Cold War, began to reconcile in the late 1990s with leaders describing the world's two largest democracies as natural allies.
But ties have soured recently after numerous disputes, including charges of US surveillance against Indian politicians, a spat over the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York last year and a trade rift that could scuttle a global customs deal.
On Friday, Kerry will meet with Modi, a Hindu nationalist who was shunned by Washington until not long before his sweeping election victory in May.
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If only India is willing to increase the prices 10 times higher U.S. Could sell its products easily there. That's what the trade war between U.S. and India is about.
@Pir Roshan:
Absolutely agree on that count. A simple cough syrup in the West costs $15 (= Rs750) all in the name of Intellectual Property Rights. I can buy the best cough syrup in India for Rs35 today. For more serious ailments, the difference between Indian and American costs for a single injection varies as much as 10 times!
@Rex Minor: "Either you are a Messiah or have a grande bouge like most Americans are of Indian origin.?"
I would quote from Donald Rumsfeld: "There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know. Donald Rumsfeld"
Regarding US snooping: Parents keep a watch on their children when they allow them to play in the playground. It is called "Good Parenting". In schools good teachers keep a watch on their students to keep them away from drug pushers.
Regarding India, US and China: There are things that India has to learn from China and there are things for which India has to lean on US.
@Qamar: She did not want to shake hands with terrorists.
@iWarn: Good thinking! Kerry is promoting Heiz Ketchup products. Now guess who owns it and you now know is the reason for his extensive travels.
Rex Minor
@Raj - USA Either you are a Messiah or have a grande bouge like most Americans are of Indian origin.? The current American administration has been snooping on all allies, partners or strangers: they will welcome any collaborator which will side with them against the chinese. India has the join ranks now.
Rex Minor
why US is desperate to forge a stronger ties with india?As india is going ahead by leaps &bound by its technological advancement. And US has much opportunity to work jointly with india to boost its economy & employment. PAK army would never allow pakistan to cement ties with India as it will diminish the huge power of pak army.
The friend of Israeli butchers, supporting the butcher of Gujurat. Nothing unexpected.
why US is desperate to forge a stronger ties with india?As india is going ahead by leaps &bound by its technological advancement. And US has much opportunity to work jointly with india to boost its economy & employment. PAK army would never allow pakistan to cement ties with India as it will diminish the power of pak army.
why US is desperate to forge a stronger ties with india?As india is going ahead by leaps &bound by its technological advancement. And US has much opportunity to work jointly with india to boost its economy & employment. PAK army would never allow pakistan to cement ties with India as it will diminish the power of pak army.
@Pir Roshan: The Indian pharmaceutical industry is currently valued at $15 billion and expected to grow to $45b by 2020 (McKinsey), and is one of the few manufacturing industries that have done well. I doubt if GOI will mess with it.
@Pir Roshan: No worries.. No govt. in India can afford to do that due to the massive generics drugs industry in India and is exported to a lot of 3rd world countries as well as consumed locally.
India please don't sign anything with US Pharmaceutical Multinational on life saving drugs. We in Pakistan & Afghanistan need this affordable & effective medicine. Save us from these multinational butchers.
A super power in decline. All the high morals will be the thing of past. Any thing can be done for hanging on to the power. It is too late now.
@ModiFied: Did you forget Bhutan? The frst foreign trip by Modi?
@ModiFied: Off course relation with other adjoining country will be better but relation with Pakistan never ever be fixed as these country lived in narcissism with only nuke they want equal right and double act these are qualities which make task more tough and personally now INDIA should deject policy of making good relation with Pakistan and we should focus and efforts to other country where we can get business but with Pakistan close door
@Rumormonger: I agree and disagree with you. I agree that Indians do read Pakistani websites. But is that a bad thing? It helps them understand the perspective of Pakistan as portrayed by our media. I would say this helps them develop a more liberal opinion unlike us who have been doctrined to think ill of Indians by our corrupt politicians. Our politicians have been blaming all tehir failures on Indians and we have always believed it. But is it believable that all the countries in the world are always wrong and we are always right? Lets try and learn about others- may be that will help us find our place in this world which we are struggling to find even after decades of independence.
Such erudite indians on ET. The recommendations also show that indian readership prevails.
@Qamar: Even aiswariya rai said decade and a half back she won't kiss on screen in hollywood movie citing not in tunes with our culture. But after a decade she did it she did it Hindi movie as well as later in hollywood movie. Times change, modernity hits. Its 2014 now not the era of 90s.Its become ok to adjust and adapt common practices followed at international level. Btw she shook hands with Pakistan delegation when they came in modi's oath ceremony. Just saying.
This is all Photo-op and useless banter. There will not be any major change in India-US relationship untill a Republican comes to the White house!!!
Is it the same Sushma Swaraj who made a gesture of joining hands instead of shaking hands with Musharraf when he forwarded his hand? Saying in our culture women don't shake hands. Then why she shaking hands with Kerry?
I am here in U.S. and definitely don't see any excitement anywhere about Modi, no tv or news, except Ofcourse among Indians. Maybe that's what our Foreign Secretary John Kerry meant! Be careful, he must really want something! That's not a usual political statement, unless you like flatery.
Ever since Modi became PM, Indian foreign policy is in over drive mode. Nice to hear Joh Kerry quoting Modi's manta of " Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikash". India's relations with US and Japan will become much stronger during Modi rule. India Nepal, India Bangladesh, India- Myanmar relations are being strengthened much faster than expected. Though Modi will try his best to improve Indo-Pak relations, however, nothing much will change on ground between the two. India has definitely entered the fast lane.
Never trust any country , work for self interest.
About 6 months before the elections that elected Modi to power, I had said in my comments that those who think that Modi will not come to power and were pointing out on US rejecting visa that, Modi will come to power and he will come to power with a thumping majority. I had also said that under Modi US-India relationship will reach new heights and cited as example that US-India relationship was at its lowest after India's nuclear testing but within 2 years India-US relationship became very strong and US showered nuclear technology on India. In the case of Modi, even one week before the elections every analyst in India was predicting that there will be a hung parliament and Modi's BJP will get just about 80 - 130 seats and it will again be a Congress led coalition government. Many analysts, talk show host and members of political parties in Pakistan were using abusive language and insulting Modi in many TV talk shows that I have watched. They all must be feeling miserable now.
Today, no other name invokes so much respect and dignity as "Modi".
SATYAMEVA JAYATE
Let's see how Modi makes A BETTER INDIA in a period of 60 months. Budget was impressive.
Negotiations, cooperation and friendship are the only way to move forward.
India must keep the US at arms length and develop closer ties with its regional neighbors. This millenium could truly be the age of Asia.
No matter how excited you are you are not going to get anything. We are not backing down from objection in WTO on food security putting our country's poor at risk just to open up economy for developed countries to economically stay afloat. Nor are we going to dilute our civil nuclear liability bill specially for USA in cases of nuclear disaster when other countries have no problem except you who want to shift responsibility to host country in such cases instead of owners. Indian gvt has very much right to slash the price of life saving drugs that american companies sell a pill for 60000 and above especially for cancer meds and stuff. No diluting or creating laws there too, slash the price or face the consequences. BJP is only going to be harder than congress to put forth their agenda. Modi is very nationalistic no soaping will work. It's better if USA focus on education,business expansion and Infrastructure or maybe defence projects in india. And next time better not mess with diplomats having immunity or you create an irreversible damage.. As you are seeing nobody in mood to share bonhomie with USA after it, and you are finding it diplomatically difficult to move forward carrying business as normal. In PM speech the countries mentioned USA was the last on it. ASEAN Russia,japan china being top four.. You can see the importance and value they have placed to relationship. Anyway happy stay.