Honoured to be hosting you this time: Pranab to Obama

India and the US should fight terrorism together as no country is safe from the menace, President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said while sharing views of American President Barack Obama that no nation should provide safe haven to terror groups.

During his meeting with the visiting US President, Mukherjee stressed for redoubling the already strong ties with the US and said, “Relations between India and the US were not only good for the two countries but also good for South Asia as well as larger Asia-Pacific region and the world.”

Thanking Mukherjee for his role in strengthening Indo-US ties during his four decades in public life, Obama said both India and the US have seen gruesome terror attacks on their soils.

Welcoming Obama at the banquet, Mukherjee said that this was the historical visit of the US president as he is the first American head of state to be the Chief Guest of Republic Day, the first American President to visit India twice and the first to hold second summit-level meeting within the shortest span of four months.

“These milestones make this a truly historical visit,” he said.

Mukherjee said the relationship between the US and India is a special one because its “forged in the hearts and minds of our two people, in the commercial ties between our businesses, in the exchanges between our two scientists and engineers and in the enduring linkages between hundreds of our institutions.

“This is one relationship where the two governments can rightfully take pride in acknowledging that they have successfully put in place a ‘Strategic Partnership’ simply by following the lead shown by their people!”

Mukherjee said the “strong attraction and chemistry” explain why the people of both countries have always viewed each other as friends in every opinion poll and also explains why the relationship has consistently enjoyed bipartisan political support.

“Today, our people are collaborating in practically every sphere of human activity - from jointly plumbing the depths of the ocean to understand the Indian monsoon, to joint space exploration in Mars – and everything that lies in between. But in a relationship like ours that has infinite potential, there is so much more that we can and should do,”he said.

Raising a toast for creating new milestones that further strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and the US, the President said “Your (Obama’s) presence at our cherished Republic Day Parade tomorrow will demonstrate to the world, the growing ties of friendship and trust that bind our two democracies closely.”