NEW DELHI: With a growing Indian American community and its increasing influence on the US technology development, service industry and economic activities, the US sees the Indian diaspora as an important partner for the continued relationship between US and India.
At an interactive meeting organized by the major national Indian community organizations in New York city, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), National Federation of Indian-American Associations (NFIA), American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects (SIAEA), Mitul Desai, Senior Advisor for Outreach, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, US Department of State stated that the Indian community groups such as the GOPIO and NFIA have been among the country's leading Indian-American organizations for years now.
"The US-India relationship will be one of the defining partnership of the 21st century, but we know that governments alone cannot realize the full promise of this potential and that is why we need the Indian-American community's ideas, energy and commitment," said Desai.
Desai, a second generation Indian American has been appointed early this year by Assistant Secretary Robert O. Blake as Senior Advisor in the US Department of State's South & Central Asian Bureau, where he builds dialogue and partnerships with private sector, NGO, and Diaspora organizations. Desai earlier worked as an investment bank analyst, consultant, and intellectual property attorney.
"On a range of issues, from our Passport to India internship project to exciting new initiatives aimed at enhancing philanthropy in India and further accelerating US-India state-state and city-city linkages, the Diaspora has a crucial role to play," Desai added.
Dr Thomas Abraham, Founder President and Chairman Emeritus of GOPIO, who organized the program said that the initiative by the State Department and Obama Administration to reach out and motivate the Diaspora group is welcome move in the right direction to solidify further US-India relations. "As far as I remember, this is first time there is such an initiative to reach out the Indian American community in an official way," said Abraham.
"While the Indian American community is growing in America, more and more American citizens of Indian origin are settling back in India for retirement and for employment opportunities and this opens up an opportunity for us to get involved in activities of larger interest to both countries," Abraham added.
However, Abraham was critical of both governments on the issues related issuance of visas to citizens of both countries who wish to travel to the US and to India which in turn hamper US-India people to people partnerships.
At an interactive meeting organized by the major national Indian community organizations in New York city, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), National Federation of Indian-American Associations (NFIA), American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects (SIAEA), Mitul Desai, Senior Advisor for Outreach, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, US Department of State stated that the Indian community groups such as the GOPIO and NFIA have been among the country's leading Indian-American organizations for years now.
"The US-India relationship will be one of the defining partnership of the 21st century, but we know that governments alone cannot realize the full promise of this potential and that is why we need the Indian-American community's ideas, energy and commitment," said Desai.
Desai, a second generation Indian American has been appointed early this year by Assistant Secretary Robert O. Blake as Senior Advisor in the US Department of State's South & Central Asian Bureau, where he builds dialogue and partnerships with private sector, NGO, and Diaspora organizations. Desai earlier worked as an investment bank analyst, consultant, and intellectual property attorney.
"On a range of issues, from our Passport to India internship project to exciting new initiatives aimed at enhancing philanthropy in India and further accelerating US-India state-state and city-city linkages, the Diaspora has a crucial role to play," Desai added.
Dr Thomas Abraham, Founder President and Chairman Emeritus of GOPIO, who organized the program said that the initiative by the State Department and Obama Administration to reach out and motivate the Diaspora group is welcome move in the right direction to solidify further US-India relations. "As far as I remember, this is first time there is such an initiative to reach out the Indian American community in an official way," said Abraham.
"While the Indian American community is growing in America, more and more American citizens of Indian origin are settling back in India for retirement and for employment opportunities and this opens up an opportunity for us to get involved in activities of larger interest to both countries," Abraham added.
However, Abraham was critical of both governments on the issues related issuance of visas to citizens of both countries who wish to travel to the US and to India which in turn hamper US-India people to people partnerships.
No comments:
Post a Comment