Honour to travel with US President on Air Force One: Ami Bera

Washington Excited by the prospect of travelling with the US President on Air Force One Indian American Congressman Ami Bera feels honoured to have been invited by Barack Obama to join him on his historic trip to IndiaIts an honour In many ways my story is the story of the Indian American diaspora Bera the two term Democratic Congressman from California told PTI in an interview The only Indian American elected representative in the current Congress Bera is among the four US lawmakers to be invited by Obama to join him on the presidential aircraft to travel to IndiaThe others are Nancy Pelosi the former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Senator Mark Warner cochair of the Senate India Caucus and Congressman Joe Crowley a longtime friend of India in the CongressBera said he is excited about the journey with none other than the President to the land of his parents With my parents immigrating here from Gujarat in the 1950s having me born and raised in America benefiting from the best that the US offers the opportunity and now as member of the Congress to return with the President of the United States as we renew this focus on the USIndia relationship I think this is historic from that perspective he said He is also the Democratic cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian AmericansAll signs of USIndia relations point in the right direction said Bera who was in India last year and had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his US visit in September I think that the September trip was a rousing success It is clear that the President and the Prime Minister developed a very positive relationshipIts historic for the Prime Minister to invite the President as the chief guest for the Republic Day and that he is the first president to make two trips to India said Bera who has been a strong advocate of IndiaUS ties both inside and outside CongressBera said there are some common areas between the two countries The Prime Minister has talked about increasing renewable energy President Obamas administration has a real focus on addressing renewable energy and climate change I think there is a common interest there he saidThe Prime Minister has an ambitious infrastructure agenda in modernising Indias infrastructure Clearly for the US companies there is an interest there In the technology space there is real opportunities for India and the US to work closely together Bera saidIn defence it looks like there are opportunities there And then we both have strategic interests India really has a role in stabilising South Asia and more broadly Asia Some of the tensions in South China Sea India is a strong partner in stabilising that region So there are many areas where we can work together he saidAs cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans Bera said his focus would be in organising the Indian American diasporaWe have done so well in the United States it is now an opportunity for us to organise contribute back to the United States and then also move this relationship forward as well I think the President recognises the importance of the Indian American diaspora and certainly the Prime Minister recognises that he saidAs a Gujarati American Bera said he is proud of Modis accomplishments He was a very strong leader in Gujarat building theeconomic foundation of the state He was elected with an overwhelming mandate with clearly a focus on moving India forward he said adding that the US business community is optimistic on the prime ministers agenda as well given his history in GujaratObserving that there is real optimism among Indian Americans about India under Modi Bera said this is a chance to realise the true potential of IndiaUS relationshipThere is an excitement in the Indian American community he said Responding to a question Bera said it is in the interestof both India and the US to create stability in Pakistan This can be done through economic growth and trade It is an area where there is alignment of interest of India and the US he saidIndia really does has a role in stabilising South Asia It is certainly in the interest of the United States he said