'Will work with President Biden to strengthen India-US partnership': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated US President Joe Biden on assuming office and said he looked forward to working together to further strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership.

“The India-US partnership is based on shared values. We have a substantial and multifaceted bilateral agenda, growing economic engagement and vibrant people to people linkages,” Modi said on Twitter.

“Committed to working with President @JoeBiden to take the India-US partnership to even greater heights.”

While offering his warmest congratulations to Biden, who became the 46th president of the US, Modi said: “I look forward to working with him to strengthen India-US strategic partnership.”

Modi also conveyed his “best wishes for a successful term in leading USA as we stand united and resilient in addressing common challenges and advancing global peace and security”.

Over the past four years, Modi had developed a close personal relationship with Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump. The two leaders had appeared together on stage before massive crowds at the “Howdy Modi” event in Houston in 2019 and the “Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad in 2020, and strategic and defence ties were enhanced over the past four years.

The Biden administration has signalled that it sees China as the main challenge and that it will work to enhance the partnership with India, including working together to ensure an open and secure Indo-Pacific.

Both sides have also pointed out that there is bipartisan support from the Republican and Democratic parties in the US for broadening cooperation with India in a wide range of areas.