Vice President Of Usa Calls On The President

Mr. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Vice President of the United States of America called on the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee today (July 23, 2013) at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Welcoming Mr. Biden, the President said India appreciates his strong voice of support for India-related issues in the Senate, including the bilateral Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. India accords the highest priority to its relationship with the United States. India-US relations are based on shared fundamental values and a growing convergence of interests.

The President said over the last decade, two countries bilateral relations have evolved into a global partnership, which President Obama rightly described as ‘one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century’. India and USA have more than thirty dialogue mechanisms covering every possible aspect of engagement between any two countries. Strong people-to-people ties are the bedrock of relationship between the two countries. India and the US are both open and pluralistic societies. People of both countries share a strong culture of education and enterprise, which has brought the two countries closer. The community of skilled professionals has been a champion of stronger India-US ties and has contributed enormously to expansion of trade and people to people ties.

Reciprocating the President’s sentiments, the Vice President of US said India-US relations is critical not just for the two countries but for the entire region. The issue is no longer that what the US can do for India but what the two countries can do together in the world. No other two countries have so much at stake or in common in the emerging global scenario.

This release issued at 1950 hrs