The Biden Administration has called India an important partner of choice for the United States

This statement came ahead of the crucial visit of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for talks with the top American leadership, including his counterpart Jake Sullivan.

While talking to reporters on Thursday, State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “India is an important partner of choice for the United States in a number of spaces, and that includes trade cooperation."

He further added, “It, of course, includes security cooperation. It also includes technological cooperation as well. I don't want to get too ahead of the process or get ahead of any specific meetings that might be coming down the pike."

“This (India-US ties) is, of course, of great importance to us," Patel said.

Patel further added that US is closely monitoring the situation regarding the border clashes between India and China and it is glad that at least in December both India and China appeared to have disengaged.

"We are closely monitoring the situation broadly regarding border clashes but we are glad to hear that at least in December both sides (India and China) appeared to have disengaged." Patel.

Patel, while responding to the media query in the regular briefing stated that Washington is relieved that the situation on both sides is calm.

Earlier, India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, on Thursday during said that the United States has been an instrumental partner for India during its transformative journey.

Sandhu who joined Indian American Congressmen Ro Khanna and Thanedar celebrated the Republic Day along with community members in and around the US capital.

“The global comprehensive strategic partnership, between India and the United States, has continued to intensify, covering almost all areas of human endeavour, driven by shared democratic values, convergence of interests, on a range of issues, and vibrant, people to people contacts," the Ambassador stated.

“Our two countries are benefiting from mutual exchanges, across domains including healthcare, clean energy, security, education, technology, translating the vision of PM Modi and President Biden, into action. Our engagements with partners in Quad, have expanded into infrastructure, supply chains, climate action, and space cooperation, to become a force for global good," Sandhu said.

Prior to this, speaking on the controversial BBC documentary, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price had said “I'm not familiar with the documentary you're referring to, however, I am very familiar with the shared values that enact the United States and India as two thriving and vibrant democracies."

Price said that there are numerous elements that bolster the US' global strategic partnership with India which include political, economic and exceptionally deep people-to-people ties.