United States State Department kejriwal

India Objects To Remarks Of US State Department On Kejriwal

India has taken “strong objection” to remarks of the United States State Department Spokesperson about certain legal proceedings in India.

“In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement today.

The MEA defended India’s legal system, emphasizing its independence and dedication to impartial and expedient judgments.

“India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary that is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” the foreign ministry statement read.

Earlier today, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena was seen leaving the Ministry of External Affairs headquarters. The meeting lasted for approximately 40 minutes.

The MEA’s remarks come in the backdrop of a US State Department spokesperson telling Reuters this week, that the US is closely following reports of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest. “We encourage a fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal,” the US spokesperson said in response to an emailed query about the case.

Earlier this month, the US had expressed concern over the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

In his daily briefing on March 15, the US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller had said, “We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 11.” External Affairs Ministry rejected the remarks as “misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted”.

Moreover, on March 25, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) raised the alarm on the government’s notification of the Citizenship Amendment Rules (CAR) in a move to begin implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). In a statement, the USCIRF said that last week, USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck testified at a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on this matter. (ANI)

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Amul US

Amul, Milk Products Go International With Launch In US

Popular dairy brand Amul, whose tagline is ‘Taste of India’, has now launched fresh milk products on the international stage for the first time and is now ready to cater to the people in the United States.

“I am pleased to inform that Amul shall be launching its fresh milk products in the United States of America. Happy to inform that we have tied up with a 108-year-old dairy cooperative in the US – Michigan Milk Producers Association, and this announcement was done at their annual meeting on March 20 at Detroit,” said Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which operates Amul.

“This is for the first time Amul fresh products range will be launched anywhere outside India and in a market like the United States, which has a very strong Indian and Asian diaspora,” Mehta told ANI.

Further, he said Amul hopes to expand the brand and become the largest dairy company in line with the vision given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he attended its golden jubilee celebrations recently.

Amul’s entrepreneurial spirit has made it one of the strongest dairy brands in the world.

Addressing the gathering during the golden jubilee celebration, the Prime Minister asserted that a sapling that was planted 50 years ago by the farmers of Gujarat has become a giant tree.

Amul products are exported to more than 50 countries around the world. It has under it 18,000 milk cooperative committees, a network of 36,000 farmers, processing more than 3.5 crore litres of milk per day.

The evolution of the dairy sector in India and the stellar role played by dairy cooperatives since the launch of Operation Flood form an integral part of the country’s growth story as the country now is the largest producer of milk.

India contributes about 21 per cent to global milk production.

It is important to note that during the 1950s and 1960s the situation of India’s dairy sector was radically different as it was a milk-deficit nation and depended more on imports.

Following a visit of then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to the Anand district of Gujarat in 1964, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was created in 1965 with a mandate to support the creation of the ‘Anand pattern’ of dairy cooperatives across the country through the Operation Flood (OF) programme which was to be implemented in phases.

Verghese Kurien, widely renowned as the “Father of White Revolution” in India, was the first chairman of NDDB. Along with his team, Kurien commenced work on the launch of the project which envisaged the organisation of Anand-pattern cooperatives in milk sheds across the country from where liquid milk produced and procured by milk cooperatives would be transported to cities. (ANI)

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Mumbai and Pathankot terrorist attacks

India, US Call For Perpetrators Of 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot Terrorist Attacks To Be Brought To Justice

In a statement after the Counterterrorism Joint Working Group (CTJWG) and 6th Designations Dialogue, India and the United States have strongly called for the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot terrorist attacks to be brought to justice.

The two countries, as they held the dialogue, also called for concerted action against all terrorist groups, including those proscribed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Sanctions Committee– al-Qaida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official release.

Notably, the 20th meeting of the US-India Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group and 6th Designations Dialogue took place on March 5 in Washington D.C.

Ambassador Elizabeth Richard, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State, and Ambassador K.D. Dewal, Joint Secretary Counter Terrorism at the Ministry of External Affairs, led their respective inter-agency delegations.

“The United States and India emphasized the extraordinary value and durability of the US-India comprehensive global and strategic partnership and renewed their commitments to countering terrorism and promoting regional security as an integral part of their broader bilateral cooperation,” the release said.

Both sides reiterated that terrorism remains a serious threat to international peace and security.

“The participation of delegates from a wide array of departments and agencies from both countries illustrated that the United States and India recognize that countering terrorism requires an inclusive and holistic approach. This approach depends on bilateral coordination between our agencies to ensure productive information sharing and facilitate security, stability, and growth in both countries and throughout the region,” the release read.

Both sides “reviewed emerging threats and tactics in terrorism, including the use of the internet and new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, international movement of terrorists, terrorist recruitment, the financing of terrorist activities, and radicalization to violence and violent extremism,” it said.

The two sides committed to information sharing, capacity building and continued bilateral and multilateral efforts to address these threats, according to MEA.

“The two sides committed to strengthening law enforcement and judicial partnerships in support of the rule of law, including through information sharing and enhanced cooperation on mutual legal assistance requests, and also exchanged information regarding priorities and procedures for designating various terrorist entities/ groups and individuals,” the MEA added.

US, and India reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group and other multilateral fora and processes such as the United Nations, the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for advancing shared security interests within the region while supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. (ANI)

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When People Cross The Line, They will be held Accountable: Verma On US Action Against Pannun

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma has assured that the United States would take action against India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun if he or his associates crossed the line.

In an interview to ANI on Tuesday, the US official said that there is a requirement to operate within the law.

“I’m not going to get into specific cases, but I just kind of go back to what I said about, you know, we have to operate within the law, and we do. And when people cross that line, they will be held accountable,” the US Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources said.

On being asked about the difficulty of Indians to fathom as to why America doesn’t crack down on Khalistani separatists, Verma said that the US government would not tolerate any kind of harassment specially that targeted against diplomats.

“When people say things and we each have different rules when it comes to free speech. We have to assess where the line crosses into conduct, but we won’t tolerate any violence or any kind of harassment directed at officials, and we will crack down on it where the law allows us to do it, and we have done it, and we will continue to do it,” Verma stated.

Verma who is a former ambassador to India, also underscored how the diplomatic security team has done a very thorough job in ensuring not only Indian diplomats, but all diplomats posted in the US are safe and secure.

“Look, we’ve, you know, for those who engage in violence or any attacks, they’re held completely accountable and are…I will say our diplomatic security team has done a very thorough and important job in ensuring not only Indian diplomats, but all those diplomats posted in the United States are safe and secure,” Verma said.

“And there’s no higher priority for us, for the Secretary of State, and we will continue to do that,” he added.

In March last year, alleged pro-Khalistan elements had illegally entered the Indian consulate premises in San Francisco and attempted to set it ablaze. Another attempt at arson on the consulate was made in July last year. Pro Khalistani elements were allegedly behind this attack as well.

Richard Verma, on being asked about the allegations against India over its involvement in the alleged attempt to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said the concerns were raised with the Indian government at the most senior levels.

“Look, we raised the concerns with the Indian government at the most senior levels. They took it seriously. They’ve launched an investigation, and we look forward to continuing to hear back from the Indian authorities about what they’ve found, but it’s a very important issue, and it’s being addressed,” the US Deputy Secretary of State told ANI.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship. As per the US Justice Department indictment, an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in custody has been charged with murder-for-hire of Pannun.

The US Justice Department had claimed that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed, had recruited the Indian national to hire a hitman to allegedly carry out assassination of Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities.

Richard Verma said the United States was now waiting to hear from the committee of inquiry set up by India to look into the matter.

“Well, as I understand, there is a committee of inquiry that’s looking into this and investigating, and we would expect to hear…Here in India, we would expect to hear back as to what… has been discovered and who’s been held accountable for the activities,” Verma said.

“This is a serious issue. It is being addressed, will be addressed. So let that proceed,” he added.

“But again, I’m here seeing all these incredible kinds of companies and innovators and progress in the relationship, which is also taking place at the same time. So we’ve got to be able to handle multiple sets of issues at the same time, some of which may be very difficult,” he further stated.

In December last year, US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer acknowledged India’s establishment of a Committee of Enquiry to investigate the plot to allegedly kill Pannun in the US. (ANI)

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Gaza US

US Vetoes UN Resolution Urging Immediate Gaza Ceasefire

The United States has wielded its veto power at the United Nations to block a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, CNN reported.

This move was widely anticipated and occurs as global calls for Israel to halt its offensive against Hamas continue to intensify.

Despite signalling its intent to veto the Algerian resolution, the US has become increasingly critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza. On Monday, the US proposed its own draft resolution in the Security Council, advocating for a “temporary ceasefire” in the ongoing conflict, as reported by CNN.

While the American draft falls short of the preferences of most other Security Council members, it underscores a toughening stance from the White House on the matter.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN, addressed the Security Council, expressing concerns that the Algerian-proposed resolution could negatively impact delicate negotiations in the region.

“Proceeding with a vote today was wishful and irresponsible, and so while we cannot support a resolution that would put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy, we look forward to engaging on a text that we believe will address so many of the concerns we all share,” she stated following the vote.

Although Algeria’s resolution was destined to fail, it highlighted the growing global apprehension about the nature of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)’s ground and bombing campaign in Gaza.”

Notably, Israel is planning to carry out a ground operation in Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled over the course of the conflict.

Earlier on Friday, President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House that he’s had “extensive conversations” with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over the last several days, where he relayed his position “that there has to be a temporary ceasefire” to secure the safe release of hostages still held by Hamas.

The US draft also warns of the effects of an Israeli ground offensive into Rafah, saying it would “result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, including potentially into neighbouring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security.”

However, despite international pressure, Israel has said it plans to expand its ground operations into Rafah as part of its goal to destroy Hamas after the October 7 attacks. Many fear that military action in the refugee tent city could spark an exodus and result in the deaths of thousands of civilians.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has grown more vocal in expressing concerns over how Israel is conducting the war. Last week, Biden told Netanyahu that the military action “should not proceed,” according to a readout of their call. (ANI)

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cashless transactions India US

India Does As Many E-Payments In A Month, As America Does In Three Yrs: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar drew an analogy while describing the country’s growth in digital public infrastructure and said that the number of cashless transactions the United States does in three years, India does in a month.

The EAM was interacting with the people of the Indian community in Nigeria on Sunday (local time).

“The life of every Indian citizen has become easier and this is because we have embraced technology in a very deep way. You can see this in payment, very few people today pay in cash and very few people accept cash…Today, we do as many cashless payments in India in a month as much as America does in three years,” Jaishankar said at the event.

He further highlighted the five major examples that showcase the transformation of India in the last decade.

“For me, how a country deals with a challenge, recovers from the challenge, and is able to pose such a strong economic performance, how the life of an average citizen becomes better, how we are capable of something that captures the imagination of the world and how do we look after our people outside the country. These are five true examples of what changed in India in the last decade,” Jaishankar said.

The EAM also lauded the way India dealt with Covid pandemic while pointing that many countries have still not been able to cope with the impact and highlighting that New Delhi brought back 7 million of its people from abroad.

“I take great heart, great hope and great faith from how India dealt with it. When Covid started, during a virtual meeting in 2020, it was said that the country that will be most unable to cope with Covid would be India. Two years later, I saw that we went through the Covid wave, and lockdowns…we started making medicines for the rest of the world,” he further said.

Stressing that India is the fastest-growing economy in the world, Jaishankar said that business sentiment about New Delhi has improved and as a result, the flow of investments into the country has reached its highest ever.

“Today, what is happening in the economy…we are the fastest-growing big economy in the world…but it is much more than that. Today, if you see the economic activity in India, wherever you go, something is being built. A metro is being built, a road is being built, new airports are coming up, new trains are coming up, railway stations are coming up. If you go to your village, piped water is coming up, there is electricity connection coming,” Jaishankar said.

He added, “There is a sense today that India is being built at a fantastic pace, not just being built, that growth rate actually covers many other things. You can see the flow of investment in India, the highest ever. Look at the business sentiment about India. For me, the real change is the change I see in our own people”.

Notably, Jaishankar is on a visit to Nigeria from January 21-23. During this, he will co-chair the 6th India-Nigeria Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) with his counterpart and meet with other leaders.

Prior to this, he also led the Indian delegation at the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), to be held in Kampala, Uganda.

He also met several foreign leaders and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the summit.

The EAM will also inaugurate the 3rd edition of the Nigeria-India Business Council meeting, deliver a speech at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, interact with CII Business delegates and inaugurate the bust of Mahatma Gandhi.

He will also chair the regional conference of Indian Heads of Missions. India and Nigeria have traditionally enjoyed close and friendly relations. This is EAM’s first visit to Nigeria, which will further consolidate bilateral relations between the two countries, the release said. (ANI)

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Earthquake Of Magnitude 4.1 Strikes Arunachal

7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Central Japan

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.5 rocked central Japan on Monday, leading to a tsunami warning for the country’s western coast, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The intensity was measured 7 on the Japanese scale — which ranges from zero to seven — on the Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, according to NHK.

The earthquake occurred at 4:10 pm (local time) 42 km North-East of Anamizu, Japan.

The depth was reported at 10 km, according to the USGS. It also shook buildings in central Tokyo.

Waves of 80 cm reached Toyama Prefecture around 4:35 pm and waves of 40 meters also reached Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, at 4:36 pm. It also reached Niigata’s Sado Island at 4:10 pm.

The tsunami warning urged people to quickly leave coastal areas of Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama and Yamagata prefectures, with over 1.2-meter waves reaching the Noto Peninsula’s Wajima Port in Ishikawa, NHK reported.

Tsunami warnings were also issued for Niigata, Toyama, Yamagata, Fukui and Hyogo prefectures, also along the Japan Sea Coast, NHK reported.

An assessment of damages due to the earthquake is awaited.

The Japan PM Office also issued instructions amid the pressing situation.

It asked the officials to provide timely and accurate information to the public regarding the tsunami and evacuation and take thorough measures to prevent damage, such as the evacuation of residents.

“Assess the state of affairs regarding damage as soon as possible,” it said.

The PM Office further asked the officials to act in close coordination with local governments and under the principle of prioritizing human life above all else.

“Spare no effort in our emergency disaster responses, including saving lives and rescuing disaster victims, with the Government working as one,” it added. (ANI)

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Israel Hamas

US Supports Extension In Israel-Hamas Conflict Pause: White House

The United States supports further extension in the operational pause between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of all the hostages in captivity, the White House said on Tuesday.

“We want to see all the hostages released. And so, if there can be extended pauses beyond these two-day extensions…we’re in favour of that. And we’re going to keep working on this, as I said, hour by hour with all our partners in the region,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

On being asked about the upcoming visit of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the Middle East, Kirby said that his fourth visit will primarily focus on reaffirming US support to Israel and facilitating humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

He further added that Blinken will meet with his Israeli counterparts and other counterparts in the region.

“It is about making sure that, number one, Israel knows that they continue to have the support of the United States, that they continue to get the tools, the capabilities, and the weapon systems that they need to continue to defend themselves against Hamas. Number two, it’s all about getting that humanitarian assistance in,” Kirby said.

He added, “And so, the President has directed the entire team all across the administration, certainly in the national security agencies, to continue to work that. And I think you’ll see that those will be the prime focuses of Secretary Blinken on his trip”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be making his fourth visit to Israel this week. He will also visit West Bank, Belgium, North Macedonia and UAE during his trip.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that President Biden and the entire national security team are engaged in the situation in the Middle East regarding humanitarian aid, operational pause and the release of hostages.

He further informed that the first of three military flights, C-17s, landed in Egypt on Tuesday with humanitarian assistance: food, water, medicine, and supplies.

“Some 54,000 pounds on the first aircraft. We expect two more aircraft to come in coming days,” Kirby said.

He added, “Also, on the ground, another 200 trucks got in through Rafah, and another 200 joined 200 that are in the queue. So, now there are 400 trucks in the queue to get into Rafah”.

The White House spokesperson also thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his support in allowing humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.

“And we couldn’t do it without the help of President Sisi of Egypt, both in terms of the ground movement and this air movement now — this US military aircraft that we’re using. So, we thank him and — and his government greatly for that,” he said.

Regarding the hostage situation, he said that 12 individuals were released on Tuesday but it didn’t include any Americans.

“We are on the first day of this two-day extension of the deal. Another 12 individuals got out today: 10 Israelis, 2 from Thailand. No Americans, unfortunately, got out today. But we are hopeful. You know, tomorrow is another day. And we certainly hope that we can see some more Americans come out,” he further said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas released 12 more hostages, including two foreign nationals, on the first day of the extended truce between Israel and Hamas. Israel also released 30 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal. (ANI)

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Eric Garcetti Biden

US Mission To India Surpasses One MN Visas In 2023

The US Mission to India has reached and surpassed the goal to process one million non-immigrant visa applications in 2023. 

The mission has already surpassed the total number of cases processed in 2022 and is processing almost 20 per cent more applications than in the pre-pandemic year 2019. 

The US Embassy and Consulates in India said in a statement that last year over 1.2 million Indians visited US, making one of the most robust travel relationships in the world. 

“Indians now represent over 10 per cent of all visa applicants worldwide, including 20 per cent of all student visa applicants and 65 per cent of all H&L-category (employment) visa applicants. The United States welcomes this growth,” the statement said. 

The US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti expressed happiness as he shared the information “Our partnership with India is one of the United States’ most important bilateral relationships, and in fact one of the most important relationships in the world” he said. 

“The ties between our people are stronger than ever, and we will continue our record-setting volume of visa work in the coming months to give as many Indian applicants as possible the opportunity to travel to the United States and experience the U.S.-India friendship first hand” Garcetti added.

The US envoy to gave Visa to the one millionth US Visa holder, Ranju Singh and her spouse, who are planning to go the US to meet their son who is studying there. 

Garcetti congratulated them as he gave them their visas and had a brief conversation with the one millionth US visa holder. 

He further highlighted that PM Modi and US President Joe biden said “lets do a better job of moving faster on visas, so the Ministry of External Affairs approved more bodies in places like hyderabad, more people who can work on these visas. We changed our systems, we worked smarter, worked harder and got a million visa applications…”

“This is really people to people relationhip and not just country to country relationship,” he added. 

The envoy said that US will continue to invest heavily in its operations in India as it recognizes the continues demand for US visas. 

The US Embassy in India marked the occassion by posting a video on X that said “Mission to one million accomplished.” 

“#Missionto1M accomplished! We are excited to announce that the U.S. Mission to India has reached and surpassed our goal to process one million visa applications in 2023! We will not stop here and continue our progress in coming months, to give as many Indian applicants the opportunity to travel to the United States,” the post said. 

In the Video US Envoy Garcetti said that people to people ties between the United States and India are stronger than ever. 

“To all one million applicants, thank you for choosing to be a part of the US-india story. Whether you are studying, working, vacationing, or investing, your contributions are a big part of what makes this relationship so great,” Garcetti said in the video.

The US Embassy in its statement said that it was investing heavily in facilitating faster visa processing.

“In the past year, the Mission has expanded its staffing to facilitate more visa processing than ever before.  The Mission has made significant capital improvements to existing facilities, such as the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, and has inaugurated a new Consulate building in Hyderabad,” a statement from the US Embassy said. 

According to the statement, the mission has also implemented strategies to increase efficiency extending interview waiver eligibility to new visa categories and utilizing remote work to allow staff around the world to contribute to Indian visa processing. 

“Early next year, the Mission plans to implement a pilot program that would allow domestic visa renewal for qualified H&L-category employment visa applicants,” the statement from the US Embassy read. 

During US President Joe Biden’s visit to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Biden stated in a joint statement that the countries share a “close and enduring” partnership.  

According to the joint statement, “Improved visa processing is only one example of the U.S. Mission to India’s ongoing commitment to strengthening that partnership.” (ANI) 

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Eric Garcetti US Ambassador To India

We Care About Both India And Canada, Says US Envoy Garcetti

US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti has reiterated that the United States cares deeply about its relationship with both India and Canada. Garcetti’s comments on Tuesday come amidst heightened tensions between India and Canada after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged that there was an Indian hand behind killing of Khalistani operative Hardeep Nijjar. 

“We care about both countries, and we care about their relationship. Our relationship is rock solid with both of them. And I think that all of us need to make sure that we can come together as countries that take seriously sovereignty, take seriously security, and take seriously the potential of our relationship,” the US Ambassador said.

Garcetti’s comments shortly after US State Department Spokesperson Mathew Miller said that the US was concerned made by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau regarding the killing of Hardeep Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India. 

“We are deeply concerned by the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau. We remain in close contact with our Canadian partners, as the Secretary said on Friday” the State Department spokesperson said. 

Meanwhile, the US envoy to India who was attending the 13th biannual Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC) highlighted that India will again probably be the number one source of students from across the world and the US is very close to adjudicated one million visa applications in India. 

Garcetti said, “A record number of student visas were processed this summer. Now, India, again, will probably be the number one source of students from across the world.”

He further said that the US is anticipating 25 per cent of foreign students just from India.  

“25 per cent we anticipate of foreign students in the United States will come just from India. And then, second, we also are very close to our 1 million visa application in India being adjudicated, which will be a brand new record as well,” Garcetti said. 

He further noted that the US is not doing this with more people.

“We’re not doing this with more people. We’re just working harder, working smarter, and making sure more Indians can come to America,” he added. 

Speaking about the IPACC, Garcetti said that it highlights how close the US and India have become to co-host all the heads of armies from around the Indo-Pacific region. 

“It’s not just the closeness of the two nations. It’s the integration of all nations, both of us speaking for a free, prosperous Indo-Pacific. It’s our values that guide this. And I’m so excited to see and to demonstrate the strength not only of a bilateral relationship but what happens when India and the United States are together,” he said. 

Earlier today, the US Army’s Chief of Staff General Randy George on Tuesday said the partnership between the US and Indian Army is vital for stability in the Indo-Pacific and the relationship between the armies is strong and growing stronger.

The armies of India and the United States will host the 13th biannual Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC), the 47th annual Indo-Pacific Army Management Seminar (IPAMS), the 9th Senior Enlisted Forum at the Manekshaw Center in the national capital from September 25-27.

The gathering is notably the largest conference for land forces (army, marines, etc.) in the region.

The objective of these meetings is to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue, and friendship. (ANI)

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