Just before US President Barack Obama’s maiden state visit to India, his top economic advisor, Lawrence H Summers, today said the visit would be the “longest” and “a different kind of a trip”, which would seek to herald a new relationship between the two countries.
“(The) India-US relationship would be more significant than before in the coming century. There is every reason to expect that. This is why President Obama’s trip to India would be the longest and very different from any other visit,” said Summers while interacting with Ficci members.
Summers is assistant to the US president for economic policy and director of the US National Economic Council. He completes his tenure at the White House next month.
While the dates of Obama’s trip have not been announced yet, he is expected to be in India from November 5 to 9, making it his longest overseas stay in a country as president of the US.
Accompanied by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, this would be his first visit to India.
Summers said the level of cooperation and alliance between the US and India would not necessarily be built on interaction of the heads of the government but will be more on the basis of engagement of its societies, companies, youth and non-government organisations.
“Both the nations have a lot in common. We have a natural affinity of language, rule of law, domestic-led growth, importance on education, profound tradition of scientific education and innovation. There is a mature understanding in the US that this relationship rests on understanding of two societies,” Summers added.
Moreover, he said the US-India relationship would gain more significance than ever in the coming years. Summers also downplayed apprehensions of opposition within the US administration to the growing strategic relationship between the two nations.
Referring to the importance of India and China in the global economic arena, he said the authoritarian element in capitalism was going to be more and more difficult in future and would stifle the spirit of entrepreneurship. He advocated a bottom-up approach and stressed on the increasing importance of a “knowledge-based” economy.
Summers also said, given the emergence of G-20 as a major player in formulating government policies, India was regarded with greater respect and importance.
