Kurt Campbell: “No secret that India one of most sought-after players on global stage”

India is among one of the most sought-after players on the global stage and United States has taken its own step to develop much further the relationship between the two countries, Kurt Campbell, the US National Security Council’s coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs said on Thursday.

Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to the US as “absolutely historical,” Campbell said that India and US successfully took the bilateral relationship to the next level.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Campbell who is often referred to as the Indo-Pacific czar in the Joe Biden administration termed ties between US and India as the “most important relationship on the planet” and stressed that it has now ascended to the top level and top layer.

“In the wake of what we think of is an absolutely historic visit of Prime Minister Modi to the United States for the state dinner, for a week of celebrating the US-India relationship. I think we together successfully took this critical bilateral relationship to the next level.”

“And I think, without question, for me, it’s the most important bilateral relationship on the planet. But, it is clearly ascended to the top level and top layer. And I think both countries leave with both along to do list, but a much greater sense of confidence about what we can do together,” he added.

Earlier in June, PM Modi travelled to the US for a State visit. PM Modi was invited by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. His visit commenced in New York where the PM led the International Day of Yoga celebrations at the United Nations Headquarters.

He spoke about the level of trust and confidence between Indian and US interlocutors during the period leading up to PM Modi’s arrival in Washington DC.

In response to the question on the symbolic wins of PM Modi’s visit, Campbell said, “First of all, I don’t think it’s a secret that India is one of the most sought after players on the global stage. You see a number of countries seeking to build deeper, more consequential relationships in trade and technology and people-to-people with India. And I’m just happy to say that the United States has taken its own step to develop much further the relationship between the two sides.”

He further said, “I have been involved in US-India relations for almost 30 years, and I can tell you in the period leading up to the arrival of Prime Minister Modi here in Washington DC, the level of trust and confidence between the US and Indian interlocutors was just notably different. I think there was a time where we engaged each other with a little bit of trepidation that was gone. There was a real sense of common purpose of working together, of building and constructing a bilateral relationship for the ages, for the future.”

During his US visit last month, PM Modi recieved a ceremonial welcome and guard of honour at the White House upon his arrival. He was hosted by US President Joe Biden as well as First Lady Jill Biden for a state dinner at the White House, as well as a State Luncheon by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Vice President Kamala Harris.

PM Modi attended various events and met top Indian and American CEOs. He interacted with the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC.