US India's natural friend, says Obama

Assuring a "vibrant and promising India" that it has a natural friend in the US, President Barack Obama has greeted people of India on the country's 63rd Independence Day.

"This vibrant and promising India has a natural friend in the United States," Obama said in a message personally signed by him.

"Our people are bound by common values and ideals, and Indian-Americans contribute to all aspects of American life.

"India has attained unprecedented milestones as its democracy has matured.

"Boasting a vast diversity of ethnicities and languages, India constitutes the largest democratic union the world has ever known," he said.

In an unusually long message, Obama noted that the fate of the two countries was tied by the interconnected nature of the world and a shared vision of peace, prosperity and respect for human rights.

Highly impressed by its economic growth, Obama said economically India was forging a new path. Fulfilling the promise of internationally competitive institutes of higher education, Indian professionals are leading their nation into a new phase of growth.

"From Bangalore to Boston; Indian scientists, engineers and thinkers are generating ideas and prosperity that improve and save lives across India and the globe," Obama said.

The message to the Indian government starts with a reference to the first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's historic "tryst with destiny", speech.

"As Indians stood ready to claim their own fate on Aug 15, 1947, Prime Minister Nehru declared that a 'tryst with destiny', forged years ago, would finally be fulfilled," he said.

He also mentioned the 1857 war of independence, the freedom movement under Mahatma Gandhi and the country's all-round development after independence, be it economy, science or polity.

The president said, "Indian politics have given voice to women and countless minorities, and have demonstrated that Indians stand unifies in their commitment to human dignity."

Obama said he was also impressed by the country's entertainment industry as its members were marking their presence globally.

"Bollywood and Hollywood, Indians contribute to films that captivate audiences in every corner of the world," he said, adding that millions were being lifted out of poverty and were carrying the hope for a bright future as the Indian economy continued along a promising road.

"Marking Indian Independence Day, the United States and its people celebrate the realisation of the vision of Prime Minister Nehru described and the bright future it continues to portend for the people of India," Obama said.

Last updated on Aug 15^th, 2009 at 17:47 pm IST--IANS