Indo-US ties are bound to improve: Ronen Sen

New York, Jul 21: India's Ambassador to the United States Ronen Sen has said the relations between New Delhi and Washington are bound to improve in the years to come.

"There is a great potential for Indo-US cooperation (in various fields)," he said on Sundaly, July 20, delivering the keynote address to a gathering of alumni of the Indian Institutes of Technology, particularly those from the IIT, Bombay. An estimated 1,200 IIT graduates met at a hotel in New York"s Times Square to celebrate the golden jubilee of the Bombay chapter of the IIT system. Participants included many of those who had earlier studied at other IIT centers.

"Investments are rising in both directions and bilateral commerce is on the rise," Sen said. "The countries" relationship, including in the area of human endeavour, can go a long way." India has faced various challenges, the ambassador said, adding among the issues is the shortage of power. "About 60 per cent of the Indian population still doesn"t have adequate electricity," he said, adding nuclear power generation has also to be rapidly increased. He acknowledged providing health care and potable water are also equally serious challenges as country is going to be the most populous soon.

But he noted that the rise in population was not a serious issue. Human resources would be useful to the country and the world at large as being witnessed by Indian expatriates" contributions to the countries in which they lived.

Mr Sen said technology could change the life of people. "India is the fastest-growing telecommunications market in the world," the ambassador noted. Pointing out that years ago India was one of the largest economies in the world, Mr Sen said, "We will regain our position to be among the world"s three largest economies." This was the first time that such a major convention of former IIT graduates was held in the United States.

UNI