PM Modi govt readies for early engagement with Biden-Harris administration

New Delhi, Nov 09: The Narendra Modi government is planning on engaging the Joe Biden administration. There are plans for early engagements with the new dispensation in the US and the Modi government will invite Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris to India soon after she takes oath on January 20.

Heartiest congratulations @KamalaHarris! Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans. I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership, PM Modi had said in a tweet.

Sources tell OneIndia that India is planning on several engagements with Washington DC and this could include inviting Harris to India after she takes over as the first woman and first Indian-American Vice President of the United States.

India had watched with much anticipation the results of the US elections. With Joe Biden being elected as the President, there is a sigh of relief in New Delhi.

Many had thought that a Democratic candidate would not bode too well for India.

However, it may be recalled that Joe Biden had in 2006, three years after becoming Vice President had said, ' my dream is that in 2020, the two closest nations in the world will be India and the United States.'

Biden played an important role as both chairman of the senate foreign relations committee and later as Vice President in deepening strategic engagement with India. It was Biden who led the charge and worked with both Republicans and Democrats to approve the nuclear deal with India, although Barack Obama was at first not keen on the same.

It was the Obama-Biden administration named India as a major defence partner. This ensured that both nations would share critical technology. This was in fact crucial as it was first time that any country was given the status outside of the traditional alliance system of the US.

"Biden believes there can be no tolerance for terrorism in South Asia, cross-border or otherwise," his campaign document stated. Officials in Delhi tell OneIndia that they hope he would carry forward the legacy of the approach towards India-Pakistan when it comes to cross border terrorism.

India is confident that the ties will remain strong under Biden as the relations are based on bipartisan support. Moreover, Joe Biden has also made it clear that he values strong India-US relations and this is also common to both Biden and Trump.

Harsh Shringla, India's foreign secretary said in an interview to DW News channel, " our relations with the US are really based on bipartisan support, you see it in Congress, you see it at the public levels. We do believe that we have forged a relationship that today has withstood the test of time, is very comprehensive and multi-faceted."

He also said that India and US not only share the same values and principles, but also have the same strategic vision in what could be bilateral, regional or multilateral relations.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relations with Trump have been special, relations with Barack Obama too were very special he also said.

If one looks over the 20 year period, the relations between India and the US have been steadily growing stronger. The visit to India of Bill Clinton in March 2000 marked a turning point in relations. Since then the relations have been transformed. It was Clinton, a Democrat who set the ties in motion.