India (Commonwealth Union)_ S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India, has received high praise from a prominent official within the Biden administration, who lauded him as an exceptionally skilled individual and the “architect” behind the modern relations between India and the United States. Richard Verma, who currently holds the position of Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, occupies the highest-ranking position ever attained by an Indian-American within the US State Department.
These commendations were voiced during an event hosted at the Indian Embassy, intended to celebrate the richness and diversity of Indian culture and the robust India-US alliance. Verma said, “We would not be in the strong place that we are today, but for the External Affairs Minister’s leadership”. Verma, who previously served as the United States Ambassador to India during the Barack Obama administration and is notably the first Indian American to hold the role of US envoy to India, attributed the present strength of bilateral relations between the two countries to the leadership of External Affairs Minister Jaishankar. Jaishankar had recently concluded a week-long visit to the United States, where he addressed the United Nations General Assembly, engaged in discussions with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and participated in various community and think-tank gatherings.
Richard Verma, the distinguished Biden administration official, emphasized the historical resonance of Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and underlined that the foundation of the India-US partnership rests upon shared principles and values. Among these shared ideals, Verma prominently highlighted a commitment to democracy and social justice. He referenced Gandhi’s correspondence with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, wherein Gandhi acknowledged being greatly influenced by the writings of Thoreau and Emerson. He also noted that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had expressed his indebtedness to Gandhi’s philosophy of love and non-violence as the morally and practically sound approach for oppressed people striving for freedom.
Additionally, Verma shared a poignant anecdote about his father’s decision to settle in the United States, characterizing his personal journey to the position of Deputy Secretary of State as not just an “American story” but also an “Indian story.” He recounted how his father had arrived in the US with a mere $14 in his pocket and a bus ticket 60 years ago, illustrating that remarkable opportunities could emerge from such humble beginnings. Verma underscored that his journey, from serving as the US ambassador to the land of his ancestral roots to his current role as Deputy Secretary of State, is a testament to the unique blend of both American and Indian narratives.
Furthermore, Verma commended the Indian-American community for their unwavering dedication in fortifying the partnership between India and the United States, asserting that this alliance stands as one of the most consequential relationships of the 21st century. While acknowledging the inevitability of challenges along the way, Verma emphasized that two close allies, bound by shared values and inspired by the philosophies of Gandhi and King, would surmount obstacles through collective sacrifice.
Ultimately, he portrayed the India-US partnership as enduring and influential on the global stage, with the potential for lasting impact in years to come. He said, “Will we have bumps in the road? Of course, but two close friends aligned with these shared values, bonded together by the great ideas of Gandhi-King and so many others and solidified by all of your sacrifices. This is a partnership with staying power, with real impact and that will continue to have an outside influence in the world”.
