Tue Dec 24 03:26:36 UTC 2024: ## India’s Foreign Secretary Paves Way for Jaishankar’s US Visit Amidst Growing Bilateral Ties

**San Francisco, December 24, 2024** – As External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar prepares for a visit to the United States (December 24-29), India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held key meetings with top American diplomats on Monday. These meetings, which included discussions with Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Deputy Secretary for Management Richard Verma, covered a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues.

The meetings took place at the State Department’s Foggy Bottom headquarters and were also attended by India’s ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra. Deputy Secretary Verma highlighted the significant growth in US-India relations, citing impressive statistics. Two-way trade has surged from $20 billion in 2000 to $195 billion in 2023, projected to surpass $200 billion in 2024. Defense trade has similarly exploded from zero to $24 billion during the same period.

Further illustrating the strengthening ties, Verma noted a dramatic increase in the number of Indian students in the US (from 54,664 in 2000 to over 330,000 in 2023) and the Indian diaspora (from 1.9 million to over five million). He also emphasized the Biden-Harris administration’s appointment of a record 130 Indian Americans to senior positions, India’s status as the US’s top military exercise partner, and the US as the largest source of remittances to India. The burgeoning entrepreneurial connection was underscored by the fact that one-fifth of US unicorns have Indian founders or co-founders.

Plans for expanding consular presence were also revealed, with India intending to open consulates in Los Angeles and Boston, and the US planning to open new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. These developments underscore the growing strategic partnership between the two nations.

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