Our security relationship far wider with India than Pakistan, says US envoy

US Ambassador to India Richard Verma addresses a news conference in Kolkata

US Ambassador to India Richard Verma said on Wednesday America's security relationship with India was far broader than Pakistan.

Verma made the comment while addressing a news conference in eastern Kolkata city.

The US envoy said the security relationship with Pakistan was more complex.



"Our security relationship with Pakistan is one that's complex. It's focused on counter insurgency and counter terrorism. But our security relationship with India is far different, far broader," said Verma.

When asked about the future of India-US ties under the new dispensation with President-elect Donald Trump set to take over from US President Barack Obama in January, Verma said it was a non-partisan issue.

"US-India relationship is on an upward trajectory like this, going up and I believe it will continue. I say that for a few reasons, one the gains that we have seen in relationship in many years, republican administrations, democratic administrations. I would argue that US-India relationship is a non-partisan issue at this point in our political system," added Verma.



Verma also said the military logistics memorandum agreement signed between US and India was mundane in nature and was only limited to logistics.

Relations between the India and Pakistan have been strained for several months after attacks on India's military base, while cross-frontier shelling has intensified leading to deaths of civilians and soldiers stationed along the disputed frontier.

The latest round of problem between the two countries began with civil unrest in Indian-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan's protest against New Delhi's crackdown on the Kashmiri activists.

The south Asian neighbours have been at odds over Kashmir ever since their independence nearly 70 years ago, fighting two of their three wars over the Himalayan region that they each rule in part but claim in full.