New York: Describing India as a "leader in many areas", a senior US official said the country has made substantial investments in America and that bilateral ties are "really great".
Ambassador Dan Negrea, US Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council and Alternate Representative of the United States to the Sessions of the General Assembly, made the remarks here on Wednesday at a press briefing organised by the New York Foreign Press Centre on 'Outcomes of the High-Level Forum on the US'.
"India has a lot to offer. And there are many areas in which India is a leader," he said.
Responding to a question by PTI on India's contributions to South-South cooperation at the UN and prospects for India-US collaboration in these areas, Negrea said India is very "important" to the United States.
Emphasising the strength of bilateral ties, he said, "Relations with India are really great... There is a lot of investment from India in the United States... India said we have excess capital.
"Yes, we are investing in growing things in India, but it is efficient for us to also invest. So (there is) very close collaboration in about all areas you can think of."
Negrea also noted that President Donald Trump has appointed one of his closest associates, Sergio Gor, as ambassador to India, saying the choice reflected the significance of the bilateral relationship.
"There is nothing more important in an Ambassador than having access to the decision-maker in the country that they represent," Negrea said.
He said Gor, who also serves as special envoy to Central Asia, has "tremendous energy" and plays an important role in advancing US engagement in the region.
Replying to another question by PTI on US aid to Pakistan and concerns about Islamabad harbouring terrorist organisations, Negrea said development doesn't go well when there is no peace and security.
"If a country has policies that create domestic disturbance or conflicts with neighbours, there will be no investment. So this is the spirit in which we are thinking in general," he said, adding that the US' objective is not to direct government aid, but to create conditions where the private sector invests in a country.
"If you look at countries that have done well economically over the years, there are always some key characteristics that are common to all the countries that have done well. You have the rule of law. You have predictable courts.
"Investors in those countries can put their money in according to laws that when they invest their money, they can also get their money out. And the other requirement is that there is no war. Nobody invests in a war situation," Negrea said.
He also outlined the US vision of shifting the international economic development paradigm toward free-market policies, foreign direct investment, and mutually beneficial business partnerships.
The Trade Over Aid Forum, hosted by the US Mission to the UN on the sidelines of the UN High-Level Political Forum, brought together UN member states, businesses, and international organisations to promote investment-friendly environments in developing countries.
The event also launched a Trade Over Aid Library, described as a "clearinghouse for capacity building offers for countries that want to open their markets through free market reforms".
According to information provided by the New York Foreign Press Centre, the State Department's Trade Over Aid Initiative is based on the premise that sustainable development partnerships are built on trade, investment and prosperity rather than government-run aid programmes.
Negrea said the initiative implements a new foreign aid vision outlined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in July last year.
"It is an imperative of our times that we look for a new way in foreign aid because foreign aid from all countries, not just from the United States, is decreasing... as aid shrinks, we need to increase trade," he said.
Negrea emphasised that the initiative does not signal an end to humanitarian assistance.
"Humanitarian aid has continued from the United States to countries where there is a humanitarian crisis," he said, noting that the US announced a USD 3.8 billion donation to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Negrea also said the United States continues to pursue economic partnerships with countries across the Indo-Pacific, stressing that "Trade Over Aid doesn't mean no aid. It just means we emphasise trade more than we emphasise aid".
