Washington: There is an alignment of
interest between the US and India as the country moves to a status of being a first tier nation, a top American Senator said Wednesday.
Moving away from the Non-aligned Movement (NAM), India
has now moved into the status of being a first tier nation,
said Senator Mark Warner, who co-chairs a Senate Caucus on
India.
"I think, India moves into the status of first tier
nation.....Not just America but there are basically
expectations from around the world that India be taking more
significant role," Senator Mark Warner, told a group of
Washington-based Indian reporters today.
Warner is Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus led a
Congressional delegation to India from January 7 to 14.
"Time and again it is clear that our interest and Indian
interest independently actually align," he said, adding be it
the question of Afghanistan, anti-terrorism or Iran not having
nuclear arms, the two countries share the same views.
He among others was accompanied by Senators Michael
Bennet, Tom Udall and Congressmen Joseph Crowley and Cedric
Richmond.
Crowley, co-chair of the House India Caucus, also
addressed the teleconference with Indian reporters.
India, Warner said, is moving from a position of
non-alignment to being a real force in the 21st century.
"I understand, we are trying to (be) sensitive to India’s concerns because of this evolution," he said.
He hoped that India and other countries would be able
to bring pressure on the Iranian regime where the US and
Western countries have not been successful.
Congressman Crowley, who co-chairs the House India
Caucus, said that the relationship between India and the US is
evolving and is very much a positive relationship.
Fresh from his India visit, Warner asserted that India
will have its own independent foreign policy.
As any Western nation, this foreign policy will be in
India`s own self-interest, he said adding that on issues after
issues there is alignment of interest between the US and
India.
"So this is again reflective of the importance of
evolving partnership," the Senator said, adding more and more
often those interests are going to align.
PTI
