"Was a pleasure to unveil the book": Jaishankar on USISPF publication celebrating India-US ties
New Delhi, July 25
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday unveiled 'We The People - 250 Voices that Shaped US-India Relationship', a book published by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, saying it was a pleasure to launch the publication celebrating the people who have contributed to strengthening bilateral ties.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Was a pleasure to unveil the book 'We The People - 250 voices that shaped US-India Relationship' by @USISPForum. Great to meet a wide-ranging group that has invested deeply in these ties."
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who attended the event, said the book pays tribute to individuals who have shaped the India-US partnership over the years.
In a post on X, Gor said, "I joined @DrSJaishankar tonight at @USISPForum in celebrating the launch of their new book: We the People: A Tribute to the 250 Voices that Shaped U.S.-India Relations. Thank you, USISPF, for everything you do to strengthen the partnership between India and the United States."
The book recognises 250 stellar individuals across eras who represent diverse professions but have dedicated their professional endeavours to enhance US-India relations.
The individuals range from artists and architects, academics and activists, diplomats and doctors, entrepreneurs and engineers, presidents and prime ministers, policymakers and pioneers, and alive and deceased.
USISPF's first coffee table book, We The People - 75 Years of U.S.-India Relations, launched in 2022, commemorated the platinum jubilee of India's independence and celebrated 75 years of U.S.-India diplomatic ties, it said.
The release comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks in Manila on July 22 on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, focusing on recent developments in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific, while also reviewing progress on key defence and agreeing on the urgency of finalising an interim bilateral trade deal.
According to a US State Department office, the two leaders discussed advancing bilateral commitments made during talks between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
"The Secretary and Minister Jaishankar discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific," the readout said.
The discussions also centred on defence cooperation, with both sides reviewing progress on agreements stemming from the Trump-Modi commitments.
"The Secretary and Minister Jaishankar discussed finalising key defence agreements in fulfilment of commitments made between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi last year," the statement said.
Trade was another key area of discussion with Rubio and Jaishankar underscoring the need to conclude an interim bilateral trade arrangement.
"The Secretary and Minister Jaishankar agreed on the importance of finalising the interim trade deal, which is almost complete," the readout added.
As per Jaishankar, the minister met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manila and discussed key areas of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership as the QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM) reconvened on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related meetings.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While these diplomatic gestures are nice, I wish they'd also focus on making the trade deal work for Indian farmers and small businesses. The strategic partnership often seems more about defense deals than economic benefits for common people. Just my two cents.
The QUAD and ASEAN meetings in Manila show how India is skillfully balancing its relationships. Good diplomacy is about building bridges, and this book celebrating 250 voices is a testament to that. Proud to see our EAM actively shaping the narrative! 🇮🇳
As someone who works with Indian colleagues in tech, this partnership has real-world impact. The visa policies and tech collaboration on display are impressive. But hope the book also highlights the challenges - it's not all smooth sailing between democracies. Balanced narratives matter.
Love how the book includes artists and architects alongside diplomats and politicians! Shows that cultural diplomacy is just as important as strategic alliances. We need more such initiatives to counter the image of India-US relations being only about defense and trade. 👏📚
It's good that Jaishankar ji is prioritizing the interim trade deal - with the global scenario being what it is, we need to finalize these agreements quickly. The fact that it's "almost complete" is reassuring. Hope the book launch helps build more momentum in the right direction!
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