“We work with India on free, secure, prosperous Indo-Pacific and it will continue to be our priorities”: US

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday (local time) said that the US works with India on a free, secure, prosperous Indo-Pacific and it will continue to be their priority.

“We work with India on economic matters. We worked with them to deepen people-to-people ties between our two countries. Of course, we work with them on a free, secure, prosperous Indo-Pacific and those will continue to be our priorities,” the US State Department Spokesperson said while addressing the media briefing.

On being asked if the US is planning to send any delegation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, Miller said that they don’t have announcements yet, but asked to stay tuned for the same.

“I don’t have any announcements to make today but stay tuned…,” he said.

On the annual two-plus-two dialogue between India and the US, he said that the US will continue to hold it, but he cannot share other details.

“I don’t have any announcements to make with respect to that dialogue, but it is an important priority for us, it’s an important priority for the secretary and we will continue to hold it. But in terms of when it will happen, I can’t tell you sitting here,” Miller said.

Calling India the world’s largest democracy, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller commended the Indian government, voters and poll workers for the successful conduct of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing the media briefing, the US State Department Spokesperson said that the elections that just played out over the last six weeks were the largest exercise of democracy in the history of the world.

“So India is, of course, the world’s largest democracy and the election that just played out over the last six weeks was the largest exercise of democracy in the history of the world. We commend the government of India, voters and poll workers, for this massive undertaking…,” Matthew Miller said.

Matthew Miller emphasised that the US looks forward to continue working with PM Modi

“…In terms of the prime minister’s-coalition in the different governments, those are all choices for the Indian people to make and we respect the will of the Indian people,” he said.

Following PM Modi’s victory, US President Joe Biden took to social media platform X to congratulate PM Modi and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on their victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He noted that the friendship between India and the US is only growing.

In a post on X, Biden stated, “Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance on their victory, and the nearly 650 million voters in this historic election. The friendship between our nations is only growing as we unlock a shared future of unlimited potential.”

The counting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was held on Tuesday. The Election Commission of India has declared the results of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the BJP winning 240 seats and the Congress 99.

Earlier in the day, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously passed a resolution to elect Narendra Modi as their leader.

21 NDA leaders signed a letter to elect Narendra Modi as their leader during a key meeting held at his official residence in Delhi on Wednesday.