US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Wednesday spoke about the opportunities in an Indo-US relationship at different levels, including counter-terrorism and military aspects, and said her visit was aimed at solidifying the partnership between the two countries.
Haley, who is on her first visit to India after becoming US envoy to UN, asserted that religious freedom was as important as freedom of people and their rights.
Haley, who is on a three-day visit to India to meet senior Indian officials, visited the tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun here, accompanied by US ambassador to India Kenneth Juster.
“It makes my heart happy to be back in India, it is as beautiful as I remember it to be. It’s always good to be back home. My parents said I was crazy to come at this time of the year because it is so hot. But, I will tell you that the heat is worth it to be back in India,” she said.
Talking about the strength of US-India relationship, she said, “the two countries were oldest democracies that shared values of people, freedom and opportunities.”
“We see those opportunities between the US and India in a multiple level of ways whether in counter terrorism, whether it is the fact that we want to continue democratic opportunities, whether it is a fact that we want to start to work together more strongly in military aspects,” she said.
Haley said that there were lot of things common between India and the US and her visit was to solidify the friendship.
“In this day and time, we see more and more reasons for India and the US to come together. I am here to once again solidify our love for India, our belief in the friendship India and the US have and our willingness to make that relationship even more stronger,” she said.
Talks between Haley, the highest-ranking Indian-American in the Donald Trump administration, and Indian officials could include a host of topics including India-US strategic ties and significant global developments.
Her visit comes days before External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman travel to Washington for the inaugural ‘2+2’ dialogue with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defence James Mattis on 6 July.