India-US relations based on common desire to have peaceful, prosperous Indo-Pacific region: American envoy Eric Garcetti

Garcetti, while comparing US-India relations when he had visited India at the age of 14, said in his statement before the media at the Sabarmati Ashram, “Back then, there were no defence sales, and now we are an important part of the mutual strategy to keep our people safe and to protect the Indo-Pacific region together.”

Responding to a query by The Indian Express on how the US looks at its interests in the Indo-Pacific region in light of the current political turmoil in Pakistan, China signalling at backing Pakistan’s military establishment and increasing US-India ties in areas of technology and defence, Garcetti said, “It is always important to say that India and the US, our relationship is not based on anyone else, it is based on each other. It is based on warmth and friendship, a mutual strategic interest, and a common desire for stronger economies and a peaceful, prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Wherever that is challenged, I think we stand together. We want to see stability in the neighbourhood, that’s important for India, but we also stand for the values that I think the Indo-Pacific region is strengthened by — freedom, freedom of movement and commerce, making sure we have rule of law and making sure that people play by the same rules.”

“We respect sovereignty and borders. These are critical things where I think India and the US will continue to stand together, deepen our defence ties, deepen our defence industries, develop things together — from space to technology. We want to see technology as a positive thing in people’s lives. Look at India and how electronic payments have helped empower people from the bottom up; we don’t see it as technology being used against people, from top down. So I think there is a contrast in where India and the US stand with other countries, but it is never about a third country, it is about us, and I’ll continue to emphasise that, and where India needs us to stand with her, we will be there.”

Responding to the backlog and delays in student visas, Garcetti said, “It is a great problem to have because it reflects how many Indian students want to come to the US. Every year we solve it, and it gets even bigger. Last year more student visas were admitted for Indian students than for any other country. In the next couple of weeks, we are opening the next batch of student visas, and assigning workers to focus on student visas as much as possible. But we are not just thinking about this year. My goal as the ambassador is to think about five years and twenty years from now, and I know that the President of the United States is very focused on this too. He has told me he wants us to focus on reducing the wait times for students, first-time visitors, and others.”

He added, “We have brought down the wait times by 60 per cent from where they were just in December (2022), but that’s not good enough; we got to go further. In the coming year, we will see those wait times come down, and I can’t wait to welcome more Indian students. So this is good for the American economy, it is great for the Indian economy, and it’s just good for civilisation.”

Terming it to be an “honour” to be at the “sacred site” and “place important not only for Indian history but for the history of humanity,” Garcetti said, “It was important to me that I come to this place here in Gujarat, that has produced so many leaders of the country, that has produced so much commerce, so much connection, so much prosperity and so much peace that has come from this place.”

Garcetti marvelled at “the braid of cultures and religions”, which he observed while walking through the old city of Ahmedabad. Following his Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram visit, Garcetti was scheduled to visit the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), meet Gujarat government leaders, the GIFT City, and attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad at Narendra Modi stadium.

On a one-day visit to Gujarat covering Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, Garcetti said he was looking forward to visiting the GIFT City, where he would meet with American banks and investment companies. “There is nothing stronger than investing your money in the place to keep the ties of peace and prosperity together,” said Garcetti.

Following the nearly-hour-long tour of the Sabarmati Ashram, where he toured Hriday Kunj, tried his hand at the charkha, and visited the museum, Garcetti wrote in the visitor book: “This place and one man (Mahatma Gandhi) changed the world forever. Yet Gandhi taught us that anyone in any place can join fellow human beings to do the same. Our world needs these lessons now as much as it did then. My heart is moved today in this sacred space. May we all struggle together to live simply, act productively, and lead with love wherever we are. May the memory of Gandhiji be a blessing always.”