External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh has said that there is now a completely altered equation between the US and India as a result of growing confidence in India and recognition of the country as a great democracy.
“The candor and confidence in the relationship is unique and the ability of the leadership in both countries to contain their differences and forge closer ties has emerged as a new reality,” he said at a dinner hosted by Indo-US entrepreneurs in Silicon valley on Friday night. Singh, however, warned that post-nuclear sanctions that US still had against 38 odd countries, were counter productive and ineffective.
“Sanctions act as barriers, especially affecting business in critical areas, such as hi-tech,” he said.
On India's expectation of becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Singh said, “India has received open and explicit support for its candidacy, which in itself is a big change from earlier times when such support was not evident.”
He hoped that the US too would be supportive of the Indian position when the appropriate time comes.

Singh said that there were common bonds between the US and India, which were being discovered now and added that on Saturday there was a recognition of the enormous potential the two countries had in the fields of science and technology, culture, information technology and bio-tech. Bureau Report