Will bolster ties with India: Biden

Washington, July 2

Democratic presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden has said that if he wins the November elections, strengthening America's strategic relationship with its natural partner India will be a "high priority" for his administration.

"India needs to be a partner in the region for our safety's sake and quite frankly for theirs," Biden said in response to a question on the US-India relationship during a virtual fund raiser event on Wednesday.

At the fund raiser hosted by Chairman and CEO of Beacon Capital Partners Alan Leventhal, the former Vice President said India and the US were natural partners.

"That partnership, a strategic partnership, is necessary and important in our security," Biden said when asked by an attendee whether India is critical to the US' national security. Referring to his eight years as the Vice President, he said, “In our administration I was proud to play a role more than a decade ago in securing Congressional approval for the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement, which is a big deal.”

“Helping open the door to great progress in our relationship and strengthening our strategic partnership with India was a high priority in the Obama-Biden administration and will be a high priority if I'm elected president,” Biden said.

Both as the Vice President and a Senator from Delaware, Biden was a big supporter of India-US relationship.

About the November polls, Biden, 77, said that the character of the country is on the ballot. — PTI