WASHINGTON: The relationship between the United States and India can change the course of human events in the 21st century, says the US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, William Burns.

In a policy speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Mr Burns also addressed the issue of India-Pakistan relations, expressing support to the bilateral peace process and the dialogue between the neighbours.

Mr Burns sought to ease Indian worries that ties with the United States could suffer as the Obama administration pursued closer cooperation with China. The US desire for closer contact with China, he said, did not come at the expense of strong ties with India.

And then he declared: ‘Few relationships will matter more to the course of human events in the 21st century than the partnership between India and the United States.’

Mr Burns made this statement while previewing the Obama administration’s approach to the US-India relationship in advance of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s state visit to Washington, which begins on Nov 22.

His long speech, which covered all major aspects of US-India ties, had one paragraph on India-Pakistan ties as well.

‘Of course, we all share an interest in stability and peace between India and Pakistan. We all know the stakes. America has always supported the two countries’ peace process and the resolution of outstanding disputes through dialogue,’ he said.

‘The pace, scope, and content of the peace process is for Indian and Pakistani leaders to decide. But we have welcomed renewed engagement, including this past summer between Prime Minister Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani, and between Prime Minister Singh and President Asif Ali Zardari.’

He then moved to Mr Singh’s visit, noting that President Obama’s decision to honour the Indian prime minister next week with a formal state visit showed the importance the US administration attached to good ties with India.

‘A rising India is essential to the peaceful and prosperous world that the United States seeks,’ Mr Burns said. He said the two countries were boosting cooperation on anti-terrorism, economic and energy initiatives, and hoped that India’s already large role in Asia would only grow.

‘That doesn’t mean that we will always agree, because we won’t. That doesn’t mean that we can always avoid mutual suspicions and misunderstandings, because we can’t,’ Mr Burns said. But, he said, the two countries could build an even stronger partnership on the solid foundation they had created in recent years.

Mr Burns said the United States expected a significant portion of its future ties with India to build around economic cooperation.

Noting that India had weathered the economic crisis much better than others, the US official said the US looked forward to an expanded Indian role in world economic affairs.

The United States and India, he said, were negotiating their own bilateral trade treaty.

Defence ties:

In a separate briefing, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake said that American companies were interested in defence sales in India.

They have had some important recent sales with the C-130Js and the P8 maritime patrol aircraft.

But there are significant new sales on the horizon, up to $18 billion worth of contracts, for which American companies are competing. The most notable of those is the multi-role combat aircraft in which two American companies are competing for the important $10 billion contract.