US will always be 'faithful friends' to people of India: White House

Washington: The United States will always be "faithful friends" to the people of India, the White House said on Wednesday, reiterating that America is eager to strengthen ties between the two countries. "We congratulate our friends in India who recently celebrated their Independence Day," the National Security Council of the White House said in a tweet on the occasion of India's 74th Independence Day, which was recently celebrated across the US by people of Indian origin and friends of India.

As President Donald Trump said during his visit to India in February, "America is eager to strengthen ties between our two countries, and will always be faithful friends to the people of India," it said. The NSC tweet was re-tweeted by Senator John Cornyn, Co-Chair of the Senate Indian Caucus.

Early this week, a senior administration official from the NSC said that the Trump administration has elevated the US relationship with India and solidified its growing partnership in ways not seen in any other US administration. During President Trump's historic visit to India in February, he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi elevated the relationship to a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

Prime Minister Modi was also one of the first foreign leaders to visit the White House after President Trump took office. The two leaders have also spoken side-by-side at two major events--Howdy, Modi in September 2019 in Houston, Texas before a crowd of over 55,000 and again at 'Namaste, Trump' in February 2020 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to address a crowd of 110,000.

"These gatherings boosted our people-to-people ties and highlighted the warm personal relationship between the two leaders,? said the official. According to the official, Trump has prioritized the US-India relationship and worked to expand all facets of the partnership over the last three and a half years.

"Given the two countries' democratic foundations and our mutual interests in rebuilding the global economy following COVID-19, diversifying global supply chains, and ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open, President Trump will continue to build this critical partnership in the years to come," the official.

The National Security Council of the White House on Wednesday also greeted Afghanistan and Pakistan on the occasion of their recent Independence Day.