"They (Indians are) in some ways were ahead of us. It is much more existential for them in terms of countering the China threat. Whether it's banning TikTok, whether it was building up mobile networks with no Chinese equipment, they've actually shown a way forward of what de-risking looks like. And that's why I think they're so critical," said the official.
"At the same time, they still depend on a lot of Chinese things, just like we do. China has been a real irritant in G-20 for them. Russia too...," the official noted, giving an insight into the G-20 discussions and the balancing act that India is doing to bring all stakeholders together.
AdvertisementObserving that India and the United States have never had a stronger relationship than now, the official said that post the visit of PM Modi, it has never been deeper in the memory of the president.
In India, "PM Modi's popularity is about 80 per cent in some polls, so is America's." America is as popular as PM Modi is in India. It's a place where there's an immense reservoir of goodwill towards Americans, towards America and a desire to get even closer, the official said.
"That's not just reflected at the very top which is where we usually write about or hear about. It's, I think, underneath that at the government-to-government level business-to-business level. And then people to people," the official said.
"Vice Versa, if the bridge from India to America is a steel reinforced four-lane highway, a strong, stable bridge; I would describe in years past the bridge from America to India has been like a rope bridge with every other plank missing. Like we don't know India and Indians anywhere near the level that India and Indians know America and Americans. I think that's beginning to change," said the official referring to a large number of high-level visits to India.
There's hardly a week or two that goes by without a major US government representative being in the country. And then on the business side, it's like a steady stream of CEOs. "Some have better strategies than others, but everybody's like rushing India," said the official.
"It's one of those moments where, if you rewind the clock, China 15 years ago was raising people at this pace out of poverty into the middle class. India is actually doing it a little faster than China was 15 or 20 years ago. You just look at the metrics, whether it's the number one source of student visas now, India surpassed China last year, whether it's the investment, which is a record level, and we're the number one trading partner for India for the first time. And another number of other metrics," the official said.
"This is the most significant country in many ways for them and becoming one of the most. The president said one of the most consequential relationships we have. Privately he's expressed ... that this is the most important relationship that we have, at least in terms of growth and, and the future," said the official.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
