Indo-US ties one of defining partnership of 21st century:Kerry

 Outgoing Obama Administration today identified strengthening of India-US relationship as one of its top accomplishments in foreign policy and defence sector, with Secretary of State John Kerry articulating that the US should continue to work with India to expand the vast areas of cooperation between the two nations and its peoples.

"This (India-US ties) will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century, and the United States should continue to work with India to expand the vast areas of cooperation between our nations and our peoples," Kerry said in a White House exit-memo on State Department's accomplishments over the eight years of Obama Administration.

Similar documents by other Cabinet members have been written and released at the direction of outgoing President Barack Obama.

Under eight years of Obama Administration, the United States has "deepened" its cooperation on commerce, defence, global health, counter-terrorism, education, medicine, cyber security, climate and much more with India, Kerry wrote.

"As the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy, the United States and India share common values that bind us together, and our relationship has evolved from one with great potential to one that is achieving great things for both countries and the world," Kerry said.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, in the Defense Department memo, also highlighted the progress made in India-US relationship in the defence sector, noting that the Obama Administration established "closer ties" with India.

During this period, India has been named "a Major Defense Partner" and has established the Defense Technology Trade Initiative, he wrote.

In a letter to fellow Americans, accompanying these exit-memos, Obama writes that by so many measures, the United States is stronger and more prosperous than it was when he started eight years ago. He described the current situation as one he is "proud to leave for my successor."

"Eight years ago, America faced a moment of peril unlike any we’d seen in decades," he said.
"A spiraling financial crisis threatened to plunge an economy in recession into a deep depression. The very heartbeat of American manufacturing – the American auto industry – was on the brink of collapse. In some communities, nearly one in five Americans were out of work.

"Nearly 180,000 American troops were serving in harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the mastermind of the worst terror attack on American soil remained at large. And on challenges from health care to climate change, we’d been kicking the can down the road for way too long," Obama wrote.

"But in the depths of that winter, on January 20, 2009, I stood before you and swore a sacred oath. I told you that day that the challenges we faced would not be met easily or in a short span of time – but they would be met. And after eight busy years, we've met them – because of you. Eight years later, an economy that was shrinking at more than eight per cent is now growing at more than three per cent," he said.