Upcoming Obama meet a challenge to realize true potential of Indo-US relationship: PM Modi

Modi says the Indo-US relationship should focus on what the two countries can do together for the world

During his interaction with the Japanese media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Friday that he approaches his meeting with the President of United States Barack Obama, scheduled to be held in Washington next month, as a challenge to realise the true potential of the relationship between India and the US.

"Both sides recognize that there is value in building further substance in this partnership for the benefit of our people, the region and the world. We should challenge ourselves to realise the true potential of this relationship. It is in this spirit that I approach my meeting with President Obama in September," said Prime Minister Modi.

"As I have said in the recent past to visiting American dignitaries, we should not look at the relationship merely in terms of what India and the US can do for each other, but more importantly, what India and the US can do together, for the world," he added.

Moreover, highlighting the importance of India's strategic partnership with the United States, the Prime Minister said, "India's strategic partnership with the United States is an important pillar of India's foreign policy. This partnership is not only relevant for the attainment of India's national, regional and global aspirations, it is also an important contributor to peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world."

"As the largest and oldest democracies in the world, there is also a convergence of values, which also means that it is natural for India and the US to want to partner more closely with traditional friends who share such values, such as Japan," he added.

Earlier, on August 26, Prime Minister Modi had met a United States delegation headed by lawmaker Aaron Schock in New Delhi.

US Secretary of State John Kerry had also visited India last month, closely followed by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.