Congressional Statements

Congressional Letter re Visit of Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh

Letter to President Bush
April 3, 2001

The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As you are aware, India's Minister of External Affairs and Defence, Jaswant Singh, will soon be traveling to Washington for meetings with the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, and other senior officials of your administration. On the occasion of the first high-level meeting between the United States and India during your administration, we would like to highlight the importance we attach to relations between the world's two largest democracies. While recent years have witnessed significant improvement in US-India relations, we believe it is now more vital than ever to continue to build on this progress. Some of us who have recently visited India have been impressed by India's own desire to build a closer relationship with your administration.

In this spirit, we hope the meetings that administration officials and Minister Singh will have in Washington will renew and expand the close working relationship between our countries. In particular, we believe it is essential that the U.S. re-engage India in a policy dialogue to make possible the lifting of sanctions against India. The economic sanctions, imposed nearly three years ago following nuclear tests by India, have not served to advance American interests. Rather, these sanctions have disrupted the growing economic ties between our countries and complicated access for India to needed loans from the World Bank and other international financial institutions. In addition, the Entities List maintained by the Bureau of Export Administration against private and public entities in India should continue to be examined and pared back. We hope that the Powell-Singh meeting will be an occasion for thoroughly reviewing the multifaceted relationship with India, an important and natural ally of the U.S.

During the two US-India summit meetings last year, our two countries committed themselves to a closer partnership in such areas as fighting terrorism, preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and their means of delivery, preserving stability and growth in the global economy, protecting the environment, combating disease, and expanding trade, especially in the emerging knowledge-based industries and high technology areas. We look forward to working with your administration to move forward in these and other areas.

Finally, in light of the close relationship between our two countries, we want to reiterate our support for assistance to India as it struggles to overcome the effects of the devastating earthquake which struck Gujarat on January 26, 2001. As you know, this earthquake caused widespread destruction and exacted an enormous human and financial toll on India.

The relationship between America and India is based on the solid foundation of a shared commitment to democracy, individual rights, freedom of expression and free markets. India offers enormous opportunities for trade and investment for U.S. companies. At the same time, the U.S. and India are confronted by many of the same threats, particularly the forces of international terrorism. For those reasons, close US-India ties will mean a better life for the American and Indian peoples and a more stable and prosperous world.

Sincerely,

Members Signing