US Ambassador Eric Garcetti has expressed concern on the situation in Manipur and said that the US is ready "to assist in any way" if asked. He also said that there has been "so much progress" in the Northeast region, and it's not possible without peace.
Although, Garcetti also stated that the situation in Manipur is an “Indian matter” and the US prays for peace in the region as it can bring more collaboration, more projects, and more investment if "peace is in place" in the region.
"I don't think it's about strategic concerns. I think it's about human concerns. I think all of us, you don't have to be Indian to care when children or individuals die in the sort of violence that we see. And we know that peace is the precedent for so many other good things," Garcetti said in a press conference in Kolkata while responding to a question on Manipur.
"There's been so much progress in the Northeast and in the East here. The country has done some remarkable things in recent years, and those can't continue without peace. So we stand ready, willing, able to assist in any way if asked," he said.
During the conference, the US ambassador to India also praised the West Bengal government for making the state a major logistics hub in the region.
"I want to commend the West Bengal government's emphasis on developing ports and land waterways, multimodal transportation infrastructure, to make West Bengal a major logistics hub for this country and region. So it's no surprise that we are seeing those billions of dollars of investment from companies from the US...They're taking advantage of the strategic location of a great workforce," Garcetti said.
During his visit to Kolkata, Garcetti also met West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and Amit Mitra, Principal Chief Adviser to Chief Minister Mamata Baneerji.
Discussions on the importance of women's empowerment, economic opportunities for diverse communities, climate actions, and ways to enhance the strategic partnership between the US and India in West Bengal were held.
