NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday said he has visited India several times and has been awed by the country’s entrepreneurship, energy, and enormous expectations for a brighter future.
Pompeo, who arrived here late Tuesday evening for his latest visit, said that during these trips he realised that there is something easy about the exchange between Americans and Indians.
“Many of you may not know this, but I had the chance to come here a number of times on business. I was able to bring my wife Susan here…on a number of the trips. She and I had the opportunity to visit Bangalore and Chennai and Hyderabad. It’s many years ago,” he said at his ‘India policy speech’ at the India International Centre here.
“It was when I ran a small business that made aeroplane parts. We were struck on that visit such entrepreneurship, such energy, great people, and enormous expectations for a brighter future for this country,” he added.
“We had a wonderful time when we visited. We had terrific hosts. It is an experience that many Americans have had when they travel here for business, for pleasure, or for yoga. There is just something easy about the exchange between Americans and Indians,” he said.
Earlier, Pompeo, who is here on a two-day visit, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held comprehensive talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
Pompeo said he talked about a new age of ambition with the Indian leadership, “the new age of ambition for our two proud nations”. Pompeo said India and the US share common historical threads.
“We both struggled for independence. We both wrote constitutions that begin with the words ‘We the People’. And we both protect unalienable rights,” he said.
Pompeo said he has a friend of Indian-origin who helped him learn about India in ways he might not have otherwise to do.
“His name is Charles Vijendra Ghoorah. I call him Chuck. Chuck is a decades-long friend of mine. We worked together about 25 years ago. We’ve stayed close friends ever since. He has three degrees. He is a wildly successful businessman, and his parents still give him a hard time because he didn’t become a doctor. Chuck represents the greatness of your nation. I’ve seen it,” Pompeo said.
“And Chuck’s been good to me. I’ve always tried to be good to him too. And as you all know, I got a chance to return favour back in 2016. I was a member of Congress when Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi came to Washington, DC and he spoke at our Congress on Capitol Hill. Few leaders around the world get a chance to do that. I very much wanted the chance to hear Chuck, but I knew how much it meant to Chuck to be there, and so I gave him my ticket,” he said.
“It was amazing. All he wanted was to be in the same room with this great leader who he knew could make things better for both the Indian people and the people of the United States of America,” he added.
“I want you all to know that I share Chuck’s view that we can accomplish this. Right now we have an absolutely perfect chance, a perfect chance to go even further than many have dreamed,” he added.
He said President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi are two leaders who are not afraid to blaze great trails and are not afraid to take risks where they are appropriate.
“Right now we’re poised to do truly incredible things for our own people, for the region, and for the world,” he added. PTI
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