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Live: I believe America can be India's "best partner", says US President Barack Obama

US President Barack Obama addresses at the Siri Fort Auditorium

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In the last leg of a three-day visit to India, US President Barack Obama on Tuesday addressed a select gathering at the Siri Fort Auditorium in the national capital and said that the America can be India's "best partner". 

Addressing a gathering, Obama said, "I realised that the sight of an American president on your Republic Day would once have seemed unimaginable, but my visit reflects the possibilities of a new moment. As I have said many times, I feel that the relationship between India and the US can be one of the defining partnerships of the century."

Obama further added, "The US supports India's inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and welcomes a greater role for India in Asia Pacific. Freedom of navigation must be upheld and disputes be sorted in peaceful manner."

"More than a hundred years ago America welcomed a son of India - Swami Vivekananda. US has the the largest Indian diaspora in the world, they tie us together and the world would be a lot safer when our two democracies stand together," said Obama.

President Obama also stated that Mahatma Gandhi was somebody who had greatly inspired him, adding that American activist Martin Luther King Jr had referred to him as his ‘guiding light’.

Adding that the US welcomes India's ambitious targets to meet cleaner energy needs, Obama said, "We are ready to help. Countries like India need to embrace cleaner fuels to tackle climate change. Moreover, the world without nuclear weapons should be goal for us."

Obama further said that nations are more successful when their women are successful. He added, "India will succeed so long it is not splintered on religious lines. Our diversity is our strength, we have to guard against the lines trying to divide us, sectarian or any other lines. Every person has the right to practise his faith without any persecution, fear or discrimination."

Towards the end, Obama said, "Our nations will be stronger when we empower our young people. I would love more American students coming to India than Indian students coming to America."

President Barack Obama also met Noble laureate Kailash Satyarthi, who along with Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the rights of all children to education," the White House tonight said.

Satyarthi and Yousafzai were on December 10 awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their pioneering work on promoting child rights. Obama received the prize in 2009.

Obama had on Monday, appreciating Modi's reform initiatives to bring investments, Obama said, "We need to incentivise trade rather than stifle. We need to be transparent, consistent and protective of intellectual property rights."

Later in the day, the joint radio address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama that has been recorded will be broadcast at 8 pm today.

US Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said, "It is "very pleased" with the "tangible progress" on key issues like the civil nuclear deal, defence agreements and clean energy cooperation reached with India during President Barack Obama's visit here.

Noting that Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have spent more time together than was initially planned, Rhodes said the close personal relationship between the two leaders is an important asset for India-US relations.

"We have a shared sense of values as democracies. And yet, it was hard to get out of the old habits of mistrust, some of which are embedded in our own respective systems. It was hard, frankly, with all the other priorities that each country has in the world, to put in the time and energy into improving the relationship," he noted.

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