India, US want to further strengthen ties, will work closely in coming years: Piyush Goyal

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 21 (ANI): Lauding the strong India-US relations, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that both nations want to further strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and the friendship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump is the harbinger of strong bilateral ties.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Asia Economic Dialogue on Thursday, Goyal said, "I think that India and the United States want to improve their relationship, whether it is in relation to investment, in relation to business, or in relation to technology or our comprehensive strategic partnership in relation to defence."

"Every year it is increasing...and the relationship between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump is so good that I have no doubt that in the coming days India and America are two democratic countries and good relations and big business and will work closely," he added.

Prime Minister Modi was on a visit to the United States on February 12-13. 

Speaking further, the Union Minister took a strong jibe at the Congress party over senior leader Sam Pitroda's statement on China and said the party has strong "affection" for Beijing.

“We will find out what is Congress’s patriotism. Even today, we see whether Sam Pitroda or the spokesperson of the Congress, still has so much affection for China. They still talk about China so deeply that one does not understand whether India is their priority or foreign countries,” he said.

Pitroda's remarks on China drew a lot of flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused Congress of "glorifying" China and "insulting" the Indian Army. 

Later, the Congress party distanced itself from the remarks and said the remarks are not that of the Indian National Congress.

Piyush Goyal also lauded Bharatiya Janata Party's resounding success in the recent assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi.

“I'm a Mumbaiker, born and brought up and worked in Mumbai. I hail originally as a family from Haryana, and I live in Delhi now. And in all three states, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi, we've had elections in the last seven, eight months, 12 months. And the BJP has won all three with a resounding victory. It's a fitting response to the naysayers who did not believe that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are the most popular party and leader in the country,” Goyal said.

Speaking on Rekha Gupta taking charge as Delhi Chief Minister following the Bharatiya Janata Party's historic victory in the Delhi elections, Goyal said that this is a good result for Delhi as a developed capital would help in developing the country.

“I feel that it will be great for New Delhi and it will be great for the government of Delhi to have a progressive, forward-looking and honest leadership which works for the welfare of the people of Delhi. You cannot have a developed India without a developed capital. For a ‘Viksit Bharat’, it is important to have ‘Viksit Rajdhani’ (developed capital),” he said. 

Praising the new Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, he affirmed his faith in her skills and affirmed that Delhi's future will strengthen under her leadership.

"I have seen how my sister Rekha Gupta has worked and I am familiar with her patriotism. I believe in her and the future of Delhi will be bright, the future will be secure, and the future of Delhi will strengthen the future of the country,” he said. (ANI)