To become a $5 trillion economy, India needs greater engagement with the US, says Minister Hardeep Puri

New Delhi, July 30 (KNN) For becoming a $5 trillion economy, India needs greater engagement with the US, said Hardeep Puri, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry.

“Substantive engagement with the US is at the heart of strong economies around the world. The same should be the case with India in her pursuit to become a $5 trillion economy by 2024”, said Puri at a book release event in honour of noted political and economic commentator Sanjaya Baru.

The book launch was followed by a Panel discussion on India-US relations where Sanjaya Baru mentioned that US grand strategy is to contain Chinese growth by all means.

Adding to this, Secretary General of CUTS International, Pradeep Mehta, said that India can balance the current world order by engaging deeper with the US.

Baru also mentioned that the matter of procuring S-400 missile defence system from Russia is an important test case for India-US relationship. The US must understand that India’s relationship with Russia is important and one that is related to India’s strategic interest and autonomy, added Baru while mentioning that defence trade with the US is also rising and hence such issues should be not be allowed to sour the bilateral engagement.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Bhaswati Mukerjee added that Indo-US engagement is a multi-layered one and complexity at each layer must be accorded due consideration.