Mumbai:

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Wednesday said efforts should be made to ensure that every section of society including ethnic or religious minorities feels that it has an equal stake in a country’s democracy.

Replying to a question on concerns around communal overtones of the ongoing election campaign in India and its impact on the Indo-US ties, Garcetti said he will not tell anybody how to run a democracy, and added that Indians “will take care of their own democracy”.

“I will also say in broad terms that diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are not just (concerns) on election day. They are all the time. Democracy is a daily plebiscite,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event on diversity arranged by the US consulate here.

“We all have to work, like we do in the US, (to ensure) that everybody, whether it is an ethnic or religious minority, whether it is women or youth, whether it is the poor, all feel that they have an equal stake in the democracy,” he added.

Complaints have been made to the Election Commission of India by some political parties about the alleged communal nature of messaging during the ongoing elections.

Asked about India’s decision to declare state mourning following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Mr Garcetti said he respects nations and their relationships, and in times of tragedies, the best thing a country can do is to comfort.

Amid widespread protests on American college campuses against the situation in the Gaza strip and reports of some Indian students facing action by their universities, Mr Garcetti said he wants to assure Indian parents that the safety of their kids will be taken care of, and added that the US loves Indian students.

Last year India became the biggest source destination for students across the world and a fourth of foreign students in American universities are from India, the ambassador noted.

The career politician-turned-diplomat said it was natural for students to have opinions, and as long as protests were peaceful, there was no need to worry.

He also assured Indian students that they will get their visas in time before academic sessions begin, and all five visa-issuing centres were making efforts to ensure the same.

Mr Garcetti said it has been a great week for Indo-US relations, pointing to the first shipment of the jointly developed malaria vaccine being sent to Africa, and added that when the two countries come together, they can help the world and every human lead a better life. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti during the 20th Indo-US Economic Summit, in New Delhi on September 26, 2023
| Photo Credit: ANI

India and the US need to strive towards a more ambitious and frictionless bilateral trade relationship, U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 20th Indo-U.S. Economic Summit organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Garcetti lauded the recently concluded G-20 Summit in New Delhi, saying India has demonstrated its global leadership through the “most successful” G-20 in the history of the organisation.

The theme of the 20th Indo-U.S. Economic Summit is ‘Sharing ideas and potential for a sustainable partnership between India and the U.S. for the next 25 years’.

“The goal that we should be setting for each other is how can we be more ambitious. Not just settle for another deal, not just settle for as we have done in the last few months bringing down the retaliatory tariffs and trade disputes between our countries. That’s not good enough.

“I think we need to close our eyes and dream of what this relationship can be like even more than we would imagine today. How can we create a frictionless relationship?” Mr. Garcetti said.

Noting that there is a need to do away with even the smallest of friction between the two countries in terms of trade, he called for a reduction of tariffs and the creation of a more predictable regulatory environment.

He also pitched for a robust agriculture trade between India and the U.S.

“This is a great agricultural country and so is the United States. We want India to be one of our top three markets in the world. Here, the productivity in dairy and other areas has levelled off,” Mr. Garcetti said. He congratulated India on the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the southern pole of the Moon.

The Ambassador said that both countries are now looking at partnerships in the commercial space segment.

He stressed the importance of sharing technology and co-development of technologies in sectors like defence, in which India and the U.S. already have strong ties.

New Delhi:

Amid the India-Canada diplomatic standoff, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti has said that perpetrators should be brought to justice and that there should be a space for investigation before a judgement is made.

Speaking at Ananta Centre in New Delhi in a conversation with senior journalist Indrani Bagchi, Mr Garcetti said, “Those who are responsible must be held accountable. We hope that traditional friends and partners will cooperate in getting to the bottom of it.”

He said, “We care deeply for Canada just as we care deeply for India. And I think that moments like this don’t define our relationship. But they certainly can slow down progress. And they’re gut checks for everybody to say how do we interact with each other? What do we stand for? How do we enforce ideas like sovereignty and international law?And what are our responsibilities to one another? And I’m sure somebody’s going to ask that question.”

“So let me just kind of say more of a statement that obviously any allegations like this should be troubling to anyone. But with an active criminal investigation, I hope that we can make sure that perpetrators are brought to justice and that we can all allow the space for that information and that investigation to occur before anybody leaps to judgment. And to me, that’s the most important role. I think to each one of us sovereignty is a very important principle,” he added.

Responding to a question on whether Canada has shared any evidence to the US, the US envoy stated, “As I said… I think that people need to have the space and the place for, if there is evidence, I will say that of course we are in close communication with Canada. Canada is a dear friend, ally, partner and neighbour.”

“Not just in moments like this, but all the time. we speak regularly, we share information..but that doesn’t mean i have everything that everybody is speaking about,” he said.

Relations between India, and Canada have grown tense after Justin Trudeau on Monday alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India and was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

Earlier on Tuesday, US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said that “serious allegations” were levelled by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against India in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar adding that the US wanted the matter to be handled in a “transparent” way.

In an interview with CBS News, an American television news channel, Kirby urged India to cooperate in the investigation.

Meanwhile, Indian nationals, students in Canada and those planning on travelling to the country have been advised to exercise caution amid the recent strain in relations between the two countries.

Indian students in Canada have been particularly advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant.

The MEA said in view of growing anti-India activities and politically condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there and those contemplating travel are urged to exercise utmost caution.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)