US and India “entering into a new era of even deeper collaboration and partnership”: Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Washington DC: US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo noted that the United States and India are “entering into a new era of even deeper collaboration and partnership” while calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “the most popular world leader for a reason,” on April 15, 2023, at a reception in India House, “Unity in Diversity” to celebrate India’s diverse cultures.

Welcoming everyone to India House, Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Sandhu said, “Today we bring together different religions, cultures, and geographies, Navreh in Kashmir; Baisakhi in Punjab and North India; Puthandu Vazthukal in Tamil Nadu; Vishu in Kerala; Ugadi in Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka; Gudi-Padwa in Maharashtra; Rongali Bihu in Assam…”

The event witnessed a gathering of over 800 people including participation from India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs at the National Security Council, Kurt Campbell, Director of National Drug Control Policy at the White House, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Secretary of State for Maryland, Susan Lee, Consuls-General representing India in US, elected Indian-American officials, special guests, and prominent members of the Indian Diaspora from across the country.

Raimondo emphasized, “I use that word ‘partnership’ deliberately. Yeah, partnership equal partners working together” while discussing the deepening US-India relations.

Raimondo, who was in India recently to reconvene the US-India CEO Forum also spent more than hour with Modi and discussed key issues including, radio access networks and Artificial Intelligence. She recalled that she told “Prime Minister Modi that there will be two ecosystems of technology. One consistent with our democratic values and another not. And I said to him, the United States and India need to lead the world together in this technology ecosystem. And without missing a beat after he traveled all week, he said to me, well, Secretary [Raimondo], AI doesn’t stand on for Artificial Intelligence. I said really? He said AI is America-India Technology.”

“He [Modi] is an unbelievable visionary, and his level of commitment to the people of India is just indescribable and deep and passionate and real and authentic. And his desire to lift people out of poverty and move India forward as a global power is real. And it is happening,” she added.

While sharing her experience about participating in the Holi festival, Raimondo said she arrived a day ahead of her meetings to celebrate Holi not knowing what she was going to experience. She recalled that she asked her Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal on what to expect and he said “you might get a little bit dirty…” while chuckling “Three days later, I was still getting the color out of my hair. It was fantastic, it was the best of India on display, family, culture, tradition, celebration, color. It was my greatest honor to participate, and I did it to the fullest…”

During her address, Sitharaman said, “It’s very inspiring to see energetic people before me, each coming to celebrate” their own New Year festivities at India House, while pointing out, “India houses all of these people and we’ve always had this diversity. It’s a country which loves celebrations. It’s a country which loves celebrating and recognizing its diversity.”

Celebrating the life and achievements of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, Sitharaman said, he was the head of eminent experts who prepared the Indian Constitution. Emphasizing Babasaheb’s contributions, she said, “I need to underline this when I’m talking about diversity. Because we are in the United States, I want to highlight this fact that we celebrate the great leaders of our pre-independence era as well. Dr. Ambedkar stood for India, worked for India…” and that he came from the oppressed Dalit community but “with a positive thought of being part of new India.”

“So today when we celebrate togetherness, it is that spirit which governs India and US relationship, a positive thinking relationship of two democracies, which have their own share of challenges, which have their own share of internal problems, but we’ve not allowed it to overwhelm us. We are together and building strong foundations for a strong, peaceful, and harmonious global community,” she added.

Recognizing the achievements of both Sitharaman and Raimondo, Sandhu referred to Sitharaman as one of the senior most Cabinet Ministers who has broken many glass ceilings… and that “She has been in the forefront of many of Prime Minister Modi’s important financial, economic, and people-oriented initiatives.”

About Raimondo, he added, “Gina Raimondo, a star of Biden administration, has played a crucial role in all President Biden’s signature initiatives – be it Chips Act, Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure and Jobs Act. A two-time Governor of Rhode Island, the buzz is that she will break several more glass ceilings.”

Sandhu also touched upon women’s empowerment and noted “Today we remember the great social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule on his birth anniversary. He along with his wife, Savitribai Phule advocated equality, women’s education, women’s rights in the 19th century.” Floral tributes were paid to both Babasaheb and Mahatma Phule by Sitharaman and Sandhu.

Campbell said, “One of the great things, one of the honors of being able to work on the US-India relationship in the current time is to see a relationship between our two countries blossom. So many people are working together to build stronger ties between our two countries… This is a relationship that is based at the people-to-people level.”

Dr. Gupta said, “When we look at all these festivals in one place at one time, this is the example of diversity and inclusion and equity…” adding it’s a privilege to serve in the Biden administration and also bring with him “all the values and qualities of being born and raised in India.”

On the occasion, President and CEO of FedEx Corporation, Raj Subramaniam was awarded the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by Ambassador Sandhu. Cultural performances representing different cultures of India were also showcased by different groups.