US eager to help India become world power, says top diplomat

The US is eager to help India become a world power which contributes to net security, a top American diplomat has said, indicating the President Donald Trump-led administration’s willingness to support New Delhi with ‘best-in-class’ defence capabilities. US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun made the comments at the third India-US Leadership Summit organised virtually by the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) on Monday. Beigun said the partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies has gone from strength to strength in the last two decades and that he expects the same to continue.

“We’re very eager to help India become and remain a world-class power in contributing (to) net security rather than worrying about net security and how it affects their interests. And I think defence cooperation is a key avenue for this, the diplomat said, responding to a question from former US Ambassador to India Richard Verma on whether the US can do more on defense cooperation, export controls and technology transfer. A net security provider tackles security concerns of its own by forming partnerships with countries which have common goals. The term was coined in the context of India’s role in the Indian Ocean as a security provider for rule-based activity.

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