Obama Speaks To Indian Parliament

"I am convinced that the interests of the United States, and the interests we share with India, are best advanced in partnership," said President Barack Obama to India's parliament. This partnership, he said, will center around 3 important areas.

First, as global partners, the U.S. and India can promote prosperity by creating the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future. The U.S. is now ready to begin implementing a wide range of commercial agreements worth approximately ten billion dollars, which will support thousands of jobs both in India and the United States. Economic growth also depends on India's willingness to open its markets and reduce barriers to foreign investment.

A second priority for the United States and India is security. Both India and the U.S. have suffered serious terrorists attack, but, said President Obama, "we refuse to live in fear, we will not sacrifice the values and rule of law that defines us, and we will never waver in the defense of our people." That's why the U.S. continues to fight Al-Qaida in Afghanistan. The strategy to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al-Qaida and its affiliates has to succeed on both sides of the border. That's why the U.S. has worked with Pakistan to address the threat of terrorist networks in the border region. And we'll continue to insist to Pakistan's leaders that terrorist safe havens within their borders are unacceptable, and that terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks must be brought to justice.

More broadly, the U.S. and India can partner in Asia and for global security – especially as India serves on the United Nations Security Council over the next two years. Indeed, the United States supports a reformed U.N. Security Council that includes India as a permanent member.

With more power, said President Obama, comes more responsibility. That includes working toward the fulfillment of the U.N.'s founding ideals of preserving peace, promoting global cooperation, and advancing human rights. "The price of our own freedom," said President Obama, "is standing up for the freedom of others. . . .When peaceful democratic movements are suppressed, as in Burma, then the democracies of the world cannot remain silent."

As global partners, the United States and India have the opportunity to promote shared prosperity, preserve peace and security, and strengthen democratic governance and human rights. These are the responsibilities of leadership in the 21st century.