"India and the United States have made significant progress in developing strategic partnership over the years. My government will bring a renewed vigor to our engagement and intensify it in all areas, including trade, investment, science and technology, energy and education," the Mukherjee said.
The US came in for special mention in the President's address, which is significant given the visa baggage that has hung in the air. But Modi has made it clear he would not hold bilateral relations hostage to a personal issue. For his part, US President Barack Obama too went out of his way to put the visa issue behind them by inviting Modi over in September. The dates and agenda for the bilateral summit are being negotiated now.Enlightened self-interest on both sides.
India is one of the dominoes lined up for China to knock-over one by one.
China, Japan and Russia were clubbed together in one paragraph while Pakistan evaded mention completely, except for a pointed reference to "terrorism against neighbors". The South Asian neighborhood will be an area of focus for this government. Modi will make his first trip to Bhutan in mid-June, and Japan in the beginning of July.
Japan is a must.
Meanwhile, assistant secretary of state Nisha Desai Biswal, the first senior US official to visit India after the new government took office, told reporters, "The United States is very committed to the US-India relationship. And this is an opportunity for us to hear the priorities and the opportunities that the new government is seeking in terms of their desire for this relationship. United States is very excited about the opportunity ahead and the road ahead because we see the resounding mandate with which this government has come in, with which Prime Minister Modi has come in, and the hopes and the aspirations of the Indian people."