When I first came to India as a teenager, I had no idea how this country would capture my heart. As I conclude my time as US Ambassador, I am filled with gratitude — for what India has taught me — and optimism — for the ever-greater peace and prosperity we will reach together, for ourselves, and our planet.
In my time here, I’ve had the honour of traversing this incredible nation — from the vibrant streets of Mumbai to the cultural heart of Kolkata, from the foothills of the Himalayas and Arunachal Pradesh to Kanyakumari at India’s southernmost tip. While I’ve learned so much from India, my core realisation is that the United States and India are, indeed, better together.
The numbers are clear: Nearly $200 billion dollars in two-way trade, making the United States India’s largest trading partner; over 3,00,000 Indian students in the United States — the largest share of international students from any country; the one million non-immigrant visas we issued for the second year in a row; $9.25 billion in climate financing to protect our planet; and the over 90 health innovations we’re scaling up together to benefit more than 45 million people across India. While these numbers are amazing, they don’t do full justice to our incredible story.
When I arrived as US Ambassador to India, I was struck by the sheer scope of our work together. From technology to trade to women’s empowerment to healthcare to a safe and secure Indo-Pacific, from the seabed all the way to space, there are even more fields that Indians and Americans are working on together than I imagined. I saw firsthand how we’re building a better world and a brighter future across what I call the “Four Ps” of our relationship — peace, prosperity, planet and people.
I saw this from my very first official trip, to Ahmedabad, where I met leaders from SEWA, a remarkable women-led organisation. Their stories were a stark reminder that the climate crisis demands urgent, global action.
I will never forget seeing the first batch of a malaria vaccine at the Serum Institute in Pune — the result of collective effort between an Indian manufacturer, a US-based biotechnology company, and the University of Oxford in the UK — being loaded onto trucks for delivery to the Central African Republic.
I was honoured to join delegations of impressive Indian entrepreneurs at major summits, to see the largest Indian delegation ever at the SelectUSA Summit invest a massive $3.4 billion in the United States, and to meet private-sector participants at the US-India Aviation Summit who committed to grow India’s civil aviation sector, including $150 billion in US aircraft orders and plans to form an aviation hub in Haryana.
I’ve long been in awe of India’s magnificent art and culture, and I took great pride in co-signing the US-India Cultural Property Agreement, which protects India’s cultural heritage and eases the sharing of our art, history and culture with each other.
And I was delighted to nurture the massive growth of cricket in the United States — from the launch of Major League Cricket in 2023 to helping introduce cricket into the Los Angeles Olympics in my hometown in 2028.
It’s clear to me that it has never just been the United States plus India; it has always been the United States times India. When the United States and India put our heads and hands together, there’s almost no door we can’t open, no friend we can’t bring in, as we work toward the greater good.
As I close this incredible chapter, my teenage self would never have imagined where I am today, or the future we’ve forged together. It is easy sometimes to get lost in “the narcissism of small differences,” to focus on the hurdles in front of us rather than the horizons beyond. But what we share far outweighs our differences and I am filled with boundless hope for the future of the US-India relationship. The challenges ahead — on air quality, on harnessing technology to connect and protect rather than divide and harm, on worrying military threats around the world — will be easier to meet together than apart.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “The future depends on what we do in the present.” Let us continue to work hand in hand, guided by our common vision of peace, prosperity, and the deep bonds that connect our people. Thank you, India, for your warmth, your wisdom, and your unwavering friendship. It has been the honour of a lifetime to serve as US ambassador to this amazing country, and I can’t wait to see the incredible future our two countries forge together.
I will always carry you in my heart. Bahut bahut dhanyavad and chalo!
The writer is US Ambassador to India
