There Is A Better Understanding Of India & World On Part Of Young Americans: Jaishankar

Washington:  External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that it is equally necessary that there is a better understanding of India and the world on the part of young Americans.

During his interaction with the students at Howard University in Washington DC, Jaishankar said, “For our ties to grow, it is equally necessary that there is a better understanding of India and the world on the part of young Americans. Your appreciation of a civilizational state and a fellow democratic polity that is daily overcoming enormous odds is essential. After all, we are natural partners only when our people have a strong sense of connection.”

“The (India-US) relationship has undergone a real transformation in the last two decades. Whether it is our strategic and security cooperation or our economic or technology partnerships, it is making its weight increasingly felt in world affairs,” Jaishankar added.

The EAM pointed out that a key driver of this change has been its human element.

“The 4.4 million Indian diaspora has defined our image in this society and helped forge relationships that are an enormous source of strength for us in our work. At its centre are students, academics, researchers, and professionals who have contributed to America’s progress even as they remained a bridge between our two societies”, he said.

“And that is why Secretary Blinken and I were especially pleased yesterday to launch the Working Group on Education and Skill Development that he spoke about. It will enable us to explore a range of opportunities that exist in the field of education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” he said.

Jaishankar noted that the most powerful symbol of the India-US connection is the inspirational bond between Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr that Secretary Blinken also spoke about.