August 23 :
Richard Verma, US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, stated that the two nations' common goals for the Indo-Pacific region had united them and contributed to the consolidation of democratic post-war norms and order. This past Wednesday, the US diplomat was in the nation's capital for an event hosted by the Centre for Social and Economic Progress.

The 25th ambassador of the United States to India was Richard Verma. Former President Barack Obama nominated him in September 2014.

"Our shared vision for the Indo-Pacific has brought us closer and helped reinforce the post-war order and norms grounded on democracy, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes," Verma said during the gathering.

According to Richard Verma, programs like Quad have helped make citizens feel more secure and powerful while also providing more assurance to cooperative arrangements. "Our new architectures for cooperation, chief among them the Quad, has brought greater certainty and clarity to the frameworks for cooperation, and indeed a sense of optimism for the future - despite initial skepticism from some corners, the QUAD has evolved into a leaders-level organization forming a new pillar of Indo-Pacific architecture," according to him.

"When like-minded nations come together as they have in the Quad to deliver greater peace and prosperity, maritime security, to battle climate change, and so much more, our citizens are empowered and they are more secure," said Verma.

The US Deputy Secretary of State also lauded the Minerals Security Partnership and the cooperation between India and the US in the Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

In order to ensure the safety of the minerals used to create cutting-edge technologies, as well as to work together on their design and regulation, we are establishing reliable networks to do just that. An illustrative case in point, backed by our governments' initiatives under iCET, is the potential 825 million USD investment in a semiconductor packaging unit in Gujarat by the American company Micron, he added.

In addition, he gushed over the strong bonds between the two countries' citizens, noting that their collaboration extends to all spheres of life. He went on to say that last year was a record-breaking year for Indian visas, with approximately 1.3 million being issued.

"America boasts well over 4 million Americans of Indian descent and Indian immigrants to the United States constitute the second largest category of US citizens," added Verma.

He went on to discuss the US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership as an example of the bilateral effort to fight climate change.

Together, India and the US can accomplish a lot in the fight against climate change and for environmental protection. We have launched the US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership to tackle the climate problem and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, despite the fact that India and the US are two of the world's biggest emitters. He went on to say that last year President Biden and Prime Minister Modi had stated their intention to work together on the rollout of 10,000 electric buses in India.

Also praising the significance of sports in India-US relations was Richard Verma. He expressed his hope that India will be the host country for the 2036 Summer Olympics and stated that the United States' hosting of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup this year was a great occasion.

"Our nations remain bound together via sports and a profound sense of pride in the accomplishments of our athletes. It was a privilege for the US to co-host the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, and we were proud of our teams and jubilant at India's dramatic victory, Verma added.

"I know it was this close bond that inspired the dedicated advocacy of then-Mayor and now Ambassador Garcetti in his successful campaign to restore cricket to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles," he continued confidently. Who knows? Maybe India will even host the Summer Olympics in 2036.

In reiterating remarks made by Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden, the US leader affirmed that the US-India relationship is the "defining partnership of the 21st Century." He went on to say that the future of US-India relationships is bright.

During their meeting last week in Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Richard Verma discussed the ongoing progress in bilateral relations. Additionally, the two heads of state discussed regional and global concerns.

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US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma: Shared Indo-Pacific Vision Strengthens India-US Relations