The new chairman of the influential US India Business Council, Atul Keshap, a veteran US diplomat, has held various positions during his career with the US State Department.
Having made huge progress in their overall relationship, the US and India must now set bold goals to take their relationship to a new level and achieve the ambitious target of $500 billion in bilateral trade, according to the influential US India business. The new president Atul Keshap Council (USIBC) has said.
“I think it is extremely important that we show that democracy can deliver; that the United States and India can become models for global growth, development and prosperity and development in the 21st century,” said Mr. Keshap. told PTI in an interview.
Mr. Keshap, a veteran US diplomat, has held various positions during his illustrious career with the US State Department. These included the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State.
In 2021, he served as the charge d’affaires of the United States Mission to India, during which he helped shape India-US relations in the first year of the Biden administration.
“I think it is extremely important that we show that open societies driven by free enterprise can be relevant to their people and help the world get out of this pandemic. I am President (Joe) Biden and Prime Totally agree with Minister (Narendra) Modi that the US India Partnership is a force for global good and it is going to have a huge impact on global security, on reducing poverty and economic growth on tackling all the challenges of our times. , “They said.
“Therefore, upon deep reflection,” said the 50-year-old former diplomat, he decided that the USIBC is the place he can do the most to help the people of both countries. In her speech last week, US Chamber President Suzanne Clark emphasized that democracies need to be ambitious, and they need to think boldly.
“We need to move forward on the global trade agenda. We need to ensure future prosperity, especially after this pandemic,” he said. During the interview, he referred to the vision of Mr. Biden, whom he had taken as Vice President. which had the potential to exceed $500 billion in goods and services trade between the United States and India.
“It is a very ambitious number and I believe in it. It is a great idea to have ambitious goals and try to be ambitious. If in our democracy we are not ambitious, we are only at a standstill. So we must always keep improving. needed.”
Mr Keshap said, in 2021, he was most affected by the response to US trade and USIBC membership, with hundreds of companies delivering aid and oxygen supplies and ventilators to India in times of need.
“We in America never forgot that when we needed help at the start of the pandemic, India came to our aid. And when India needed help, we tried our best to help India.
“That’s what happens mate. We have to work together. If democracies don’t work together, it’s going to be a very dark future for the whole of humanity. This is something I deeply believe in. I I am optimistic. I am ambitious. The Chamber is optimistic and ambitious. USIBC’s member companies are fully dedicated to seeing greater growth in trade and economic relations between the United States and India. I share my energy, my entrepreneurial spirit, my I want to put the spirit of service and dedication towards this relationship to work.”
In his new role, Mr. Keshap said he wanted to help meet the $500 billion bilateral trade target.
“This is where the government and the private sector have to work hand in hand. They have to make an argument that the people of our free countries can believe. We have democracies. We have to follow the will of the people: 1.7 billion Americans and Indians working together,” he said.
“Therefore, we have to articulate the vision and the ambition, and we have to articulate the benefits and we have to convince all our stakeholders that there is value in reducing trade barriers. There is value in creating strong standards. Creating a positive ecosystem.” There is value in dealing with small technical issues that can create barriers to greater prosperity between our countries,” Mr. Keshap said.
When Mr. Keshap first began working on India-US relations as a US diplomat, bilateral trade stood at $20 billion, which grew rapidly to $147 billion in 2019.
“So, we are on the way. It is because of the positive, friendly, mutually respectful work among bureaucrats, politicians, technocrats, corporate executives to try to ensure that this number continues to grow,” he said.
Mr Keshap said both the countries now need to be ambitious. “This is a dangerous moment in world affairs,” he said. There are all kinds of stresses and challenges during a pandemic, including economic stress, challenges from other countries, and other systems.
“I think it is up to the United States in India to build the strongest possible relationship for its security and well-being. It is deeply linked to economic and commercial and investment ties. To build a strong Indo Pacific supply chain. For the more we can talk to each other as friends, which connects us more closely, the more happy I am,” Mr. Keshap said.
With over a dozen non-stop flights between India and the United States, he said, “It is a symbol of how much we have grown and how close the countries are coming. What I want to do is put even more energy into seeing that detail. I have a very ambitious vision of what the United States can achieve in India. The total bilateral trade between India and the US stood at $80.5 billion in 2020-21, as compared to $88.9 billion in 2019-20. India’s exports to the US stood at $51.62 billion in 2020-21, as compared to $53 billion in 2019-20. According to data from the Union Commerce Ministry, India’s imports from the US stood at $28.9 billion in 2020-21, as compared to $35.9 billion in 2019-20.
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