US envoy lauds PM Modi’s proactive diplomacy, India’s rising global stature

With an aim to make India an important player on the global stage, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been engaged in active diplomatic efforts, visiting over 18 countries and 33 cities in his one year tenure, says the US envoy to New Delhi.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a top American think-tank, US Ambassador to India Richard Rahul Verma said, “In foreign policy India has been on the move. In the past year the Prime Minister has reached out not just to the United States, but has visited over 18 countries and 33 cities.”

“He (Modi) is signaling that India will be a player on the global stage for years to come and we welcome and support that global leadership role – politically, economically and in global institutions,” he added.

Within South Asia, Mr Modi has reached out to leaders from Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He has successfully finalised a historic land boundary agreement with Bangladesh, 41 years after the initial accord was signed. His visit to Australia, Mauritius and the Seychelles demonstrated that India wanted to play an active role in the Indian Ocean, said the US diplomat.

The US diplomat was all praise for India’s leadership role in a host of crises situations. From Nepal to Yemen, the country has responded well to the catastrophic situations and has rescued nationals from all over the world, he said.

During US President Barack Obama’s visit to India, the two countries took more than 77 initiatives in several areas, including defence cooperation, health and renewable energy, said the envoy.

The US diplomat was specially fulsome in his praise for India’s Act East policy, saying India has worked very well on its ‘Act East’ agenda, strengthening ties with Asian powers, including Japan.

“The Joint Strategic Vision on the Indo-Pacific region we announced during the President’s visit outlined ways our two nations can come together in the region to further the prospects for greater prosperity, peace and stability,” Mr Verma added.

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