A Publication of the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. August 1, 2013 I India RevieI w Vol. 9 Issue 8 www.indianembassy.org Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari with Vice President of the United States Joseph R. Biden Jr. in New Delhi on July 23. India, US ties get strategic boost n India committed to n India ready to discuss n Power Minister fair investment bilateral investment Jyotiraditya Scindia environment: FM treaty with US visits U.S. Cover STORY Vignettes of Vice President Biden’s visit .S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s four-day visit to India (July 22-25) provided Ua valuable opportunity to renew the high-level political contact between the two countries. He was accompanied by his wife, U.S. Second Lady Jill Biden, their daughter Ashley and son-in-law Howard D. Crein. The essence of his message contained in his remarks in Mumbai where he noted: “I would ask you to consider the historic opportunity that we have here...imagine what our two countries can achieve together, not only for one another but for the economic and political stability of the region.” Vice President of the United States Joseph R. Biden Jr., with India’s then Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai at Air Force Station, Palam, in New Delhi on July 22. Vice President Biden with Tara Gandhi, grand - daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, at the Gandhi Smriti, in New Delhi on July 22. (Photo:Shivraj ) Vice President Biden interacts with students during his visit to the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, on July 25. 2 Continued on Page 7 August 2013 India Review Cover STORY 3 Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh with Vice President of the United States Joseph R. Biden Jr. in New Delhi on July 23. India, US ties get strategic boost India and the U.S. emphasized on the synergies between the two countries and vowed to take forward their cooperation in areas ranging from trade, security, energy, innovation, implementation of civil nuclear deal to regional issues such as Afghanistan and the neighborhood during U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s visit to India ndia and the U.S. discussed the Prime Minister’s official residence on how to take forward the commer - ways to enhance economic —7, Race Course Road. cial aspects of the civil nuclear agree - cooperation and implementa - The Prime Minister “underlined ment between the two countries. Ition of the civil nuclear deal, the significance of economic Afghanistan, the drawdown of the among other issues, as visiting U.S. exchange between the two countries U.S.-led international forces in 2014 Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in helping India to tackle the host of and the new regime in Pakistan were and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan issues relating to enhancement of the also touched upon during discussions Singh met in New Delhi on July 23. well-being of the Indian people”. on regional issues. Vice President Biden, who arrived in Both sides held discussions on ener - National Security Advisor New Delhi on July 22 on a four-day gy, innovation as well as on regional Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Secretary visit, held discussion with Prime issues such as Afghanistan and the Ranjan Mathai, Ambassador Minister Singh for around an hour at neighborhood. They also discussed Nirupama Rao and Foreign Secretary- August 2013 India Review Cover STORY designate Sujatha Singh were present called on President Pranab during the talks. Vice President Mukherjee, and met United Earlier, the U.S. Vice President Mohammad Hamid Progressive Alliance Chairperson called on Indian Vice President Sonia Gandhi. Mohammad Hamid Ansari where he Ansari underscored the Keeping up the momentum in their outlined President Barack Obama’s need for continuous ties, Prime Minister Singh is to visit and his “personal commitment and attention to building the the U.S. in September for a bilateral interest” in expansion of India-U.S. meeting with U.S. President Barack relations and said India’s Look East India-U.S. partnership Obama. policy was complementary to that is based on shared This was discussed during talks America’s “re-balancing towards values of liberty, between Vice President Biden and Asia”. Prime Minister Singh. Vice President Ansari emphasized on constitutionality, The Prime Minister would attend the the vibrancy of the bilateral relation - democracy and tolerance UN General Assembly in New York ship which, he said, indicated that rela - and then visit Washington for a bilater - tions have “grown from strength to al summit with President Obama. This strength”. He said the areas of agree - tionality, democracy and tolerance. will be President Obama’s first bilater - ment between the two sides were con - Ahead of his trip, Biden had said al meeting with the Indian Prime siderable and expanding and highlight - his visit to India and Singapore was Minister in his second term. ed that “huge segments of the Indian intended to reinforce the White population were extremely supportive House strategy of ‘rebalancing’ Following is the text of Indian Vice of improved relations”. towards Asia and the Pacific. President Mohammad Hamid The Indian Vice President also spoke The U.S. Democratic Party politi - Ansari’s speech at the banquet of the need for continuous attention to cian, who visited India with his wife hosted in honor of U.S. Vice building the partnership that is based Jill Biden, their daughter Ashley and President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in on shared values of liberty, constitu - son-in-law Howard D. Crein, also New Delhi on July 23: 4 U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. called on President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on July 23. August 2013 India Review Cover STORY “A visit to India by the Vice President of the United States of America is a rarity and, therefore, all the more meaningful. Its significance is enhanced many fold when the visi - tor happens to be Joseph Biden, a leg - endry figure in the Senate of United States, known to the world long before he came to occupy, and re-occupy for a second term, this august office. Your reputation, Vice President, 5 traveled ahead of your arrival last evening. You have been described as Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari hosted a banquet in honor of U.S. Vice President Joseph R. a moderate pragmatist and a funda - Biden Jr., in New Delhi on July 23. mentally happy person. These are invaluable traits in our troubled times worthy, as is the prospect of even when the effort is to contain the lev - From an Indian stronger ties in trade, investment, and els of unhappiness that surround us. perspective we have energy. Each of these furthers our Relations between nations, with the United States more own national effort for inclusive Excellencies, are mostly reflective of a defense cooperation, more development. complex set of considerations per - strategic dialogues, more eco - Peace in the world and in our own taining to values and interests. The nomic exchanges and more region is a pre-requisite for sustained two do not always converge; they and sustainable development. Threats may at times even diverge. The chal - science and technology part - to peace, many in India’s immediate lenge to the statesmen, as someone nerships than with any other region, are the greatest impediments to once put it, is to steer on the stream country. Our cooperation in progress. They emanate from terror - of time with “more or less skill and education and health is par - ism, extremism, intolerance, injustice experience.” The endeavor should be ticularly noteworthy, as is the and misuse of the benefits of science to seek points of convergence and prospect of even stronger ties and technology. It is incumbent on our build upon them. two nations to counter these threats, Wishing to be friends, it is said, is in trade, investment, and jointly and individually, with a realistic quick work but friendship is a slow energy. Each of these furthers perspective of the dangers they pose. ripening fruit that requires diligent our own national effort for Countering threat to peace is one tending. inclusive development aspect of our cooperation; equally Happily for our two countries, the — Vice President Mohammad important and inseparable from it is areas of agreement are considerable Hamid Ansari promotion of stability and widening and expanding. They are premised on the global arc of prosperity. shared values of liberty, constitutional - n Both necessitate a deeper under - ism, rule of law, democracy, tolerance standing of each other’s essential and promotion of diversity. We both interests and legitimate aspirations. believe that discussion is an indispen - n Both make incumbent an on-going, sable preliminary to wise action. no-holds barred dialogue. Remarkable progress, Vice n Both call for focused cooperation President, has been registered in our and even more intensive people-to- bilateral cooperation. We now have a people contacts in which, I presume, tradition of political engagement at language is not an impediment. the highest level. Your visit today As vibrant democracies we cherish, adds to the edifice. as you do, the right to disagree with - From an Indian perspective we out losing sight of our endeavor for have with the United States more the common good. Your visit and defense cooperation, more strategic your own long-standing personal dialogues, more economic exchanges commitment, Vice President, has and more science and technology contributed to this endeavor. partnerships than with any other It has been a pleasure meeting you. Vice President of the United States Joseph R. Biden country. Our cooperation in educa - Jr. meeting with Indian Vice President Mohammad I wish you a pleasant and fruitful stay tion and health is particularly note - Hamid Ansari in New Delhi on July 23.