India is an important partner: Top US official

WASHINGTON: The US considers India as an important partner and is committed to strengthen its bilateral relationship with the country, a top American official has said.

"It ( India-US) is an important relationship. India's an important partner, an important country in the region, and we continue to look for ways to deepen that partnership," State Department Spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday.

"The economic side of it is as important as ever, if not more so today, and there are many different economic connections between us and India," he said.

Secretary of State John Kerry is committed to strengthening this relationship, Kirby said.