Kolkata: As India and the US negotiate a proposed bilateral trade agreement, the US consul general Kathy Giles-Diaz in Kolkata on Friday reiterated its commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific adding that eastern and northeastern India are becoming critical nodes connecting the country to global trade and supply chains.“The US remains firmly committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific — one where trade flows freely, sovereignty is respected and no country can coerce another through force or economic pressure,” Giles-Diaz said at an interactive programme at the American Center on Friday.
She said such a framework enables “businesses to invest, ships to move safely, data to flow and people to prosper”. The event, titled ‘US Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific: North Eastern Dialogue – Kolkata Chapter’, was organised by the US consulate general Kolkata in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation.
Discussions focused on deepening India-US cooperation under the Quad grouping — comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia — to promote a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific, the consulate said in a statement.Officials said the session highlighted the importance of improved connectivity through ports, railways, inland waterways and digital corridors to better integrate eastern and north-eastern India with global markets. Strengthening such links would also help reduce dependence on fragile or adversarial supply chains, Giles-Diaz said. “As our newly-arrived ambassador, Sergio Gor, noted this week in New Delhi, our relationship is anchored at the highest levels.
President Trump and Prime Minister Modi see eye-to-eye on many key issues, including the importance of a strong, sovereign and prosperous Indo-Pacific — and that alignment creates real momentum for cooperation on trade, technology and security,” she said.Calling Kolkata a natural venue for the dialogue, the consul general said the city has historically served as India’s gateway to the Bay of Bengal and South East Asia. As India expands its Indo-Pacific engagement, eastern and north-eastern regions are again becoming critical nodes connecting the country to global trade and supply chains, she added.She underlined the role US companies could play by bringing expertise in logistics, smart ports, digital trade, clean energy and infrastructure finance, generating jobs and investment on both sides.
