Washington: In a strong message to those critical of Indian immigrants ahead of three-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi beginning September 21, top American diplomat and former American ambassador to India, Richard R. Verma said it isn’t possible to be against immigrants and for stronger ties between America and India.
The Deputy Secretary of the State Department and the highest ranking Indian-American ever in America’s diplomatic arm, Verma warned that nothing could be more “threatening” to bilateral ties than the “demonising of immigrants”.
Verma’s comments come in the backdrop of Laura Loomer, a far-right social media influencer who has emerged as a key associate of Donald Trump, attacking Kamala Harris’s Indian roots and the sharpening of Republican rhetoric against immigrants.
Speaking at the Hudson Institute, a Washington DC based think-tank, on the milestones and the pathways ahead for US-India ties, Verma spoke about the progress that has taken place in the last 25 years.
Verma spoke on a wide range of issues and highlighted the decision of then President Bill Clinton to “delink” the US-India relationship and US-Pakistan relationship.
He also spoke on the passage of the civil nuclear deal, the designation of India as a “major defence partner”, a unique status no other country holds, the evolving “hub and spoke” model of security in the Indo-Pacific and Quad, cooperation in the climate domain especially after the Paris climate agreement, and the increased flow of people from both sides as key achievements in this quarter of a century.
Verma, highlighted the contribution of people of Indian and South Asian heritage to different walks of American life and said, “That is why it is so hard to fathom perspectives that are anti-immigrant and yet pro-US-India economic, security, and cultural ties. The two do not go together. And, in fact, nothing could be more threatening or damaging to US-India ties than the recent demonisation of immigrants we have seen careening through cyber space and our TV screens in recent days, which includes vile and racist attacks directed at Indian Americans.”
Verma said he wanted to be clear that this kind of language and these kinds of attacks had no place in American society.
“When we speak of shared values in the US-India relationship, our countries have a long history of pushing for social justice for our most vulnerable populations. We must continue to learn from each other and advance these values. Standing up for America as a diverse, multicultural, and inclusive society is something I will do at every opportunity.”
Looking ahead, Verma identified emerging technologies and science (including in clean energy, vaccine development, AI and quantum, supply chains for critical minerals, digital economy), building the architecture of the Indo-Pacific and multilateral institutions, defence and economy, and people-to-people ties as four vectors where bilateral ties will and should deepen in the future.
But the top diplomat also flagged challenges that stem from the growing Russia-China collaboration and how Russian support can equip China with greater capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
Verma said the US recognised the history of the India-Russia relationship but it was upto India to decide if it still wanted to pursue closer ties with a declining power, with an ineffective military, out to subvert global rules and suggested that Russian equipment in the Indian security architecture were dated, aging and broken.
He also spoke about the economic and civil society domain as areas that required deeper ties. “I am mindful of the need to deepen our economic cooperation, with clear rules of the road, and more government-to-government efforts to ensure transparency and fairness.”
“And I am mindful of the need to continue to support our collective civil societies to ensure every voice is heard and supported, with the freedom to speak out,” he added.
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