India Will Lead World In Almost Every Category By 2030: US Envoy Richard Verma

Raipur: Expressing confidence that by 2030 India would lead the world in "almost every category", US Ambassador to India Richard R Verma today said people are excited about the Indo-US partnership which is poised to strengthen further.

"I look out into the future in India...just take 2030. By 2030, India will lead the world in almost every category...You will have the most people, largest middle class population, college graduates, patent holders, massive investment in infrastructure, urbanisation and discoveries," he said while interacting with students at the Government Engineering College in Raipur.

"That's why people are so excited about India's rise and what's happening here. That's why I am excited about the partnership we have with you (India)...we can't agree on every issue, but we can get really a lot of important things done," he added.

Mr Verma termed the last two years as the best period in the relationship between the two countries. He said US President Barack Obama wants India to be a strong, prosperous and a successful global power.

"We changed, India has changed...We were on two separate tracks for many a decade. Those tracks are now coming together. If you ask (US) president about how he feels about India, he would say he wants India to be strong and prosperous," he said.

Speaking about various fronts on which both the countries have collaborated and succeeded, he stressed that the two countries broke records in several categories last year.

"We had the highest two-way trade between the two countries ever of $110 billion. US was the largest export market for India.

"About 1.1 million visitors from India travelled to the US and equally, one million Americans visited India last year which was an all-time high. Last year, 1.40 lakh Indian students were studying in America. The highest defence trade number last year was $15 billion," he said.

Mr Verma, however, said the two countries can do a lot more on peace, prosperity, climate change, defence and strategic affairs which he feels will have big impact on people.

Expressing hope that the ties between the two nations, would strengthen, he said, "If I look ahead to the future, I'm really optimistic and really excited. I don't think our relationship (will be) on roller coaster. I don't see it going down, I only see it's going up."

He also noted that the visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have strengthened ties between the two countries.

He quoted PM Modi's speech at the US Congress earlier this year, where the PM had said they have overcome the hesitation of history and India is on course of making the US its indispensable partner.

The US envoy also stressed the role India and the US can play in ensuring peace and harmony in the world.