US is now India's top export market: Kerry

New Delhi, Aug. 31 (ANI): Asserting that the leaders of both India and the US recognize the importance and imperative of this relationship, Secretary of State John Kerry today said trade between the two nations has doubled in recent years and Washington is now New Delhi's top export market. "Which is why President Obama has made strengthening US-India bonds a top priority in a re-balanced Asia, and it is why Prime Minister Modi on his part has called America an indispensible partner in his address to Congress in June and why between the two of them it is clear that President Obama and Prime Minister Modi have forged a personal relationship that is built on a common sense of purpose and vision," he added. The US Secretary of State while interacting with the students of IIT Delhi said both countries worked together in Nepal during the devastating earthquake, evacuated the people trapped in war-torn Yemen and trained peace-keepers in Africa. "And yesterday, I had the pleasure of sharing with my counterpart minister Swaraj the commonality of this endeavour that we are engaged in. Our people are connected through three millions Indian-Americans many of them who have assumed leadership roles in public service academia, medicine, law, business," said Kerry. "Our universities, including IIT Delhi, are collaborating on projects in public health cyber security, high-tech, clean energy and more. And our governments are now engaged in more vital areas than in any time in history of this relationship. We saw evidences of depths and breadths of these bonds just yesterday during our annual strategic dialogue when we held high-level talks on issues that impact virtually every single aspect of our shared future. From fight against violence, terrorism, extremism to our immense and still growing commercial relationship, to ensuring wise governance, to the resolution of volatile situations in the middle-east," said Kerry. "And at a time when countries all too often seek to settle disputes through unilateral action or use a force, we together chose a different route; we have agreed to work through rule of law through the norms of the international community. And so we have discussed yesterday how India's decision to accept an international tribunal judgment regarding its maritime border with Bangladesh actually stands apart from other choices made by other countries. So, this is the kind of policy in support of rule of law and that in my judgment reflects confidence and sense of responsibility," he added. Kerry said that deep cooperation between India and the United States matters a great deal not only to both nations but also matters to the rest of the world obviously for one reason that it represents one-sixth of all of humanity on this planet. "It also represent the coming together of two different cultures, different experiences one much older than the other not as a democracy but older as country and certainly exhibits a kind of respect for a healthy debate, for the rights and freedom of Individuals," said Kerry. "So, questions for both of our nations and for our next generation of our leaders is how to ensure that our bilateral relationship is prepared fully to confront the dangers we face and to seize the opportunities that are staring us in the face," he added. (ANI)