U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry concluded a significant two-day visit to the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, emphasizing the strategic partnership between the United States and India. The summit, held biennially, served as a platform for discussions on how U.S. technology and innovation could foster sustainable economic growth in the Indo-Pacific region.
Secretary Kerry's delegation included several high-profile officials such as U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma, Under Secretary Catherine Novelli, Assistant Secretary Nisha Biswal, Ambassador-at-Large Catherine Russell, Arun Kumar from the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, and Matt Lowe from the National Security Council. They were joined by Consul General Tom Vajda from Mumbai.
The summit was inaugurated by Secretary Kerry alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. During his visit, Kerry addressed international business leaders at the Global CEOs Conclave about strengthening trade ties between the two nations. In a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi, they discussed shaping global politics and economics together while boosting sustainable growth in India.
Kerry also engaged in meetings with Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and India's Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss cooperation on clean energy initiatives addressing climate change challenges.
In addition to official engagements, Kerry visited Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and conversed with entrepreneurs about women's economic leadership in India. He toured a Ford automotive factory set to open soon as part of a $1 billion investment that will double its manufacturing capacity in India.
This marked the first instance of the United States serving as a partner country for Vibrant Gujarat. President Obama is scheduled to visit India later this month for Republic Day celebrations—a historic first for a sitting U.S. President.