Washington, January 15: India is a great power and US President Barack Obama’s visit to the country last year was part of the administration’s effort to embrace the country as a great partner, a top Obama aide said on Friday.
Briefing White House correspondents in an off-camera briefing on the upcoming visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon said the US so far has been under-involved in Asia and the Obama administration is all set to correct that.
“India is a great power and great partner of the United States,” he said.
Donilon said the November visit of the US President was part of the administration’s effort to embrace India as its great partner.
His remarks came within an hour of the Oval office meeting between Obama and his visiting Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari.
Obama has taken two extensive trips to the region — the first in November 2009 and another last November.
“We have really deepened our relationship with India,” Donilon said during his briefing in which he explained in detail increasing American relationship with Asian countries and strengthen its ties with its allies in the continent including Japan and South Korea.
—-PTI