<p>The comprehensive strategic partnership with the United States has emerged as India’s most important foreign policy relationship, former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>She was delivering the 17th Raja Ramanna Memorial Lecture at the National Institute of Advanced Studies here.</p>.<p>“The whole dimension and stage of the Indo-US relationship has changed and this has become one of the most important partnerships in the world, and certainly the most important foreign policy relationship for India today,” she said.</p>.<p>Nirupama, a former ambassador of India to the US, said the ties had grown in strength as seen in increased collaboration across sectors, including defence, space, energy, and critical and emerging technologies. </p>.<p>“We need to negotiate the transactions of our relationship with the US in a way we can enhance and upgrade our own capabilities. This is the time to create the right regulatory environment,” she said. </p>.<p>Nirupama said India’s position on the war in Ukraine was drawn on consideration of various factors — from its long-standing ties with Russia, specifically in defence and security, its history of non-alignment, and the continental challenges posed by China.</p>.<p>The new India, as the government calls it, did not want to be the “conscience keeper” of the world and its foreign policy has a realist streak, which is imperative in diplomacy.</p>.<p>“Despite what the West may call our studied neutrality on the issue of Ukraine, we remain a country that is voicing our concerns with candour, but we also want dialogue and diplomacy, and want the principles of the rules-based global order to be protected,” she said.</p>
<p>The comprehensive strategic partnership with the United States has emerged as India’s most important foreign policy relationship, former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>She was delivering the 17th Raja Ramanna Memorial Lecture at the National Institute of Advanced Studies here.</p>.<p>“The whole dimension and stage of the Indo-US relationship has changed and this has become one of the most important partnerships in the world, and certainly the most important foreign policy relationship for India today,” she said.</p>.<p>Nirupama, a former ambassador of India to the US, said the ties had grown in strength as seen in increased collaboration across sectors, including defence, space, energy, and critical and emerging technologies. </p>.<p>“We need to negotiate the transactions of our relationship with the US in a way we can enhance and upgrade our own capabilities. This is the time to create the right regulatory environment,” she said. </p>.<p>Nirupama said India’s position on the war in Ukraine was drawn on consideration of various factors — from its long-standing ties with Russia, specifically in defence and security, its history of non-alignment, and the continental challenges posed by China.</p>.<p>The new India, as the government calls it, did not want to be the “conscience keeper” of the world and its foreign policy has a realist streak, which is imperative in diplomacy.</p>.<p>“Despite what the West may call our studied neutrality on the issue of Ukraine, we remain a country that is voicing our concerns with candour, but we also want dialogue and diplomacy, and want the principles of the rules-based global order to be protected,” she said.</p>
