3 weeks Ago By TOI News Desk
NEW DELHI: US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity, remarking that the prime minister's " approval rating makes me jealous." Addressing an event in Rajasthan's Jaipur, JD Vance said, "Now I believe that our nations have much to offer to one another, and that's why we come to you as partners, looking to strengthen our relationship." "Prior administrations saw India as a source of low cost labour.
On the one hand, even as they criticised the Prime Minister's government, arguably the most popular in the democratic world, and as I told Prime Minister Modi last night, he's got approval ratings that would make me jealous," he added. 'We are not here to preach things' Vance further asserted that, "Now we're not here to preach that you do things any one particular way. Too often in the past, Washington approached Prime Minister Modi with an attitude of preaching.
" 'Fortunate to visit Akshardham Temple' Vance said he was "amazed by the ancient beauty of India's architecture," impressed by the country's rich history and traditions, as well as its strong focus on the future. While addressing on US-India relations says, "I was fortunate to visit Akshardham Temple with family, be welcomed by PM Modi at his residence, I have been amazed by the ancient beauty of the architecture of India by the richness of history and tradition, but also by India's focus on future. I've been to other countries, sometimes I feel flatness to see desire to be like everyone else in the world, it's different in India.
There is a sense of infinite possibilities, of new homes to be built, new skylines to be raised, and lives to be enriched, and there is a pride in being Indian." "In striking contrast with too many in the West, the leadership class seems stricken by self-doubt, even fear of future, to them, humanity is always one bad decision away from catastrophe, the world will soon end, they tell us, because we are burning too much fuel, or making too many things, or having too many children, so, rather than invest in future, they retreat," he added. 'Trump wants India to grow' Vance continued that, "Meanwhile the message to friends to countries like India, is to tell that they are not allowed to grow well, President Trump rejects these failed idea, he wants America to grow, he wants India to grow, and he wants to build a future with partners all over the world," he added.
'Wants to build a future with our partners' Vance emphasised that he believes America and India have great potential to achieve a lot together. "I believe there is much that America and India can accomplish together," he said. "And on that note, I want to talk about a few areas of collaboration today, how India and the United States can work together.
America does more military exercises with India than we do with any other nation on Earth. Second, to build great things, and finally, to innovate the cutting-edge technologies both our countries will need in the years to come," he added. Vance arrived in New Delhi on Monday for his first official visit to India.
He is accompanied by his Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance (née Chilukuri), their children Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel, along with senior US government officials. His four-day visit, from April 21 to 24, comes as India and the US continue talks on a bilateral trade agreement to address key concerns like tariffs and market access..
