Washington: US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, who first visited India in 2000 as the First Lady,
fondly remembers her trip to the country not only for her
experiences, but also for the fact that it marked a warm
turnaround in the ties between the two countries.
Bill Clinton`s visit to India is widely seen as a
transformational event in the Indo-US ties that were
bedevilled by years of suspicion and mistrust.
Hillary, who first accompanied her husband Bill
Clinton to India, was so enamoured by the experience that she
returned again to the country with her young daughter Chelsea.
"Oh, the Taj Mahal with Chelsea, yeah, I remember it
fondly," Clinton told the ABC news in an interview when asked
about her India visit as the First Lady.
"That was a wonderful trip not only for us personally,
but for our country because it really started the ongoing
efforts that the Bush Administration and now President Obama
have undertaken to strengthen and deepen our relationship with
India, a great partner, the world`s largest democracy," she
said.
President Barack Obama is set to visit India next
month to take forward the bilateral relationship.
Hillary said as a young girl she could never have
imagined that she would have the honour of representing the
United States as a Secretary of State.
"I would not have imagined it. I certainly could not
have imagined being Secretary of State. But that`s what`s so
great about our country," she said.
"That`s why I love every minute that I get to
represent the United States, because I`m a product of how
great our country is, and that`s why I care so deeply that we
get out there and try to manage and solve the problems that
could perhaps narrow the opportunities for own children,"
Clinton said.
"It`s exhilarating work," she said, referring to her
overseas travels.
-PTI
