Washington, Aug 15 (IANS) US President Joe Biden on Sunday called India and the US "indispensable partners" on the eve of the 75th anniversary of India's independence.
"The United States joins the people of India to honour its democratic journey, guided by Mahatma Gandhi's enduring message of truth and non-violence," Biden said in a statement.
As the two countries also celebrate 75 years of establishing diplomatic ties, the US President said further, "India and the United States are indispensable partners, and the US-India Strategic Partnership is grounded in our shared commitment to the rule of law and the promotion of human freedom and dignity."
The two countries are also bound by "deep bonds" between their people, he added with a shout out to "the vibrant Indian-American community in the US (that) has made us a more innovative, inclusive, and stronger Nation".
Biden concluded his statement saying, "I am confident that in the years ahead our two democracies will continue to stand together to defend the rules-based order; foster greater peace, prosperity and security for our people; advance a free and open Indo-Pacific; and together address the challenges we face around the world."
Amid an ongoing resurgence across the world, the global coronavirus caseload has topped 333.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 5.55 million and vaccinations to over 9.68 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The embassy officials are also in touch with the immediate family members of the deceased Indians. The embassy, however, has not revealed their identity. Among the six injured in the blast on Monday, two are Indian nationals, who were treated at an Abu Dhabi hospital and later discharged.
The massive shockwaves due to the eruption of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai in Tonga were also felt across India, meteorologists said on Monday. In fact, almost 12 hours after that, i.e., on Sunday morning, an amateur weather enthusiast from Goa, Atul Naik, posted on Twitter another graph that showed the second peak too.
In an unprecedented move, the community leaders gathered at Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, Park Avenue, and challenged the prevailing anti-India narrative propagated by Khalistanis and their backers.
Indian-American Saurabh Chawla, who bought stolen Apple products from school employees in the US and sold those on eBay and Amazon, has been sentenced to 66 months in prison.
The Taliban has announced that they will resume the hiring process of Afghan government employees, excluding female staffers, the media reported on Tuesday.
