'Free Basics' initiative, which had triggered a debate on net neutrality in the country, was shut down by Facebook here in February.
When asked whether American authorities would step in to help Facebook resume the 'Free Basics' programme in India, US Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs' senior official Daniel A Sepulveda said the social media company is "more than capable of advocating for itself".
Facebook pulled the plug on 'Free Basics' in February amid a raging debate on whether the American company was violating principles of net neutrality, which refers to equal treatment for all online traffic.
"...We believe that Internet has been and can be a democratising force, enabling both people and firms to challenge concentrated power," he added.
He also said that India plays an important role in the global discussions related to Internet governance.