US needs partners like India: Mulford

New Delhi, July 4: Lauding Indo-US relations for its buoyancy and vividness, US Ambassador to India David C Mulford today said the United States needed partners like India to preserve the freedom of people as the world was becoming a dangerous place.

Speaking at a function to celebrate the 231st Independence Day of the United States of America, Mr Mulford said, "India in many way was a natural partner of the US because of the common values and beliefs like democracy, freedom and liberty ''we share''.

''As the world is becoming a dangerous place we'll need partners like India,'' Mr Mulford added.

'Partners' not 'allies', he emphasised though.

The relationship between India and the US is of significance not because of the size of the country but because of the shared values which we have cherished for so long and which gave the US its present status, he said.

''Because liberty is individual and because everyone needs to be free.Because every fellow citizen needs to be free,'' he added.

Stressing that he was ''impressed and pleased'' with the way relations between the two countries were progressing, the US Ambassador said, the most important aspect of this was that relations were not limited to mere government-to-government levels but people- to-people as well.

Emphasising the importance of Independence and liberty of people, Mr Mulford said the defence of liberty was equally important and liberty, independence and freedom were indivisible.

UNI