Indo-US ties have bipartisan support: Diplomat

WASHINGTON: Indo-US relationship has bipartisan support and would keep going up irrespective of which ever government is elected, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India has said as he lauded the role played by the Indian-Americans in strengthening bilateral ties.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu was speaking at an event organised yesterday by the Sikh community in Maryland and Virginia to felicitate the diplomat in recognition of his efforts to address the concerns and issues of the Sikh community across the country.

After serving the Indian Embassy for three and half years, Sandhu, a 1988 batch Indian Foreign Service Officer is headed to be the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

India-US relationship, is on "such a stable and bipartisan support" Sandhu said, irrespective of which ever government is elected "our countries" are so closely bound that the relationship would keep going up and up.

Contribution of Indian-Americans is extremely important in strengthening this relationship, he said.

"The hard work of Indian-Americans is very highly recognised and appreciated. This has all come out of your commitment and focus," he said and exuded confidence that in coming years there would be successful Indian-Americans in more prominent places.

Sandhu said Indian-Americans are facing the challenges of identity, modernisation and economic survival.

In his address, the Deputy Indian Ambassador stressed the importance of connecting second generation Indian Ambassador with India.

"Next economic potential where is it? It is in India. That is where the economic generation, economic power to the world is going to come. And your children are uniquely placed. But they would be uniquely placed if you connect them back with India," Sandhu said.

Welcoming Sandhu, Virginia Republican leader Puneet Ahluwalia said the strength of the community lies in its unity.

"In this new world, we all have to participate in the mainstream." he said.

"In the coming years, US-India relationship is going to be so critical" and "we have to play an important role in that," he said.