New Delhi: US Senator Bob Menendez, who once suggested sanctioning India if it didn’t stop buying Russian defence equipment, has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to America a “significant moment” in the Indo-US relationship.
The Prime Minister Tuesday embarked on his state visit to the US, which has been portrayed as a ‘milestone‘ in the relationship between New Delhi and Washington, aimed at strengthening and broadening their partnership.
In a video message, Senator Menendez, a Democrat representing New Jersey, said that he joins the “vibrant and important” Indian-American community in his home state in welcoming PM Modi to Washington DC.
‘The #HistoricStateVisit2023 is a significant moment in 🇺🇸🇮🇳 relationship’.
Senior Senator & Chairman #Senate Foreign Relations Committee @BobMenendez welcomes Prime Minister @narendramodi to #WashingtonDC and shares nuggets from his own visit to #India.#IndiaUSAPartnership… pic.twitter.com/G5vOzXJokq
— India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) June 18, 2023
“I would like to join the vibrant and important Indian American community in my home state in saying welcome to Washington DC, Prime Minister Modi,” he stated.
Recalling his trip to India in 2019, the US Senator, who also serves as the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed his hope that Modi would have ‘same opportunities to experience’ during his US tour.
“I saw India’s biggest mosque. I saw the Akshardham Temple in Delhi. I spent a day at the Golden Temple, and I celebrated Gandhi’s 150th birthday. I hope Prime Minister Modi will have the same opportunities to experience all the richness of the United States during his visit,” Menendez added.
The US Congressman further emphasised the “critically important ties” between the two countries, including trade and economic engagement, security cooperation, and people-to-people relations.
In a letter in March 2021, ahead of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to India, Menendez had asked him to raise democracy and human rights concerns during his discussion with the Modi government.
He also cautioned New Delhi that they were open to imposing sanctions if it proceeded with its intended purchase of a Russian anti-missile system.
“If India chooses to go forward with its purchase of the S-400, that act will clearly constitute a significant, and therefore sanctionable, transaction with the Russian defence sector under Section 231 of CAATSA,” Menendez wrote in his letter dated 17 March, 2021.
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