INDIA-U.S. TRADE TIES ENTER THE FAST LANE

The number of bilateral meetings and visits by the top Indian leadership should be taken as a signal that 'all is well and India-US diplomacy is on the upswing'.

- MANEESH PANDEYA

IN A GOOD PLACE

New Delhi's diplomatic circles and media are abuzz with speculation on "weakening" India-US relations amidst the former's stand in the Russia-Ukraine war. Everyone is talking about why India is being needled by the United States on Ukraine. Will that affect the "honeymoon" in India-US relations? 

Perhaps that may not be the case, as the picture in the US, which hosted six top Indian leaders in a month, projects a robust India-US diplomacy, inking a strong business in trade, defence and health sectors. Interestingly, even Indian investments are flowing into the US, making it a two-way business relationship.

In the last one month, six ministers have visited the US. India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was here for the second time in six months; Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was here to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings; Commerce Minister Piyush Goel, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri too were here. So were Minister of State (Independent charge) Jitendra Singh and Mos External Affairs V. Muraleedharan. So India-US bilateral relations under President Joe Biden, in fact, have strengthened as evident from the top political brass holding bilateral talks from Washington DC to Houston to California and San Francisco region.