Chennai, July 20
Betting on India’s future, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today said the country should play a “more assertive” role across Asia-Pacific, noting that this was a “time to lead” by seizing the emerging opportunities.

In comments against the backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness in Asia, Clinton said India’s leadership had the potential to positively shape the future of the Asia-Pacific and that the US encouraged the country not to just look east, but continue to engage and “act east” as well.

Clinton also asserted that the bondage outweighed differences in Indo-US ties and that the bilateral relationship would be a defining partnership of the 21st century.

“We have a common commitment to combating terrorism and achieving economic prosperity,” she told students and opinion makers at the Anna Centenary Library hall here.

“It is true we are different countries with different backgrounds. We will from time to time disagree. But we believe our differences are far outweighed by the bondage,” Clinton said. She began her address saying “Vanakkam,” a vernacular greeting, triggering a round of applause.

Noting that the role she was asking India to play was ambitious, she said, “Yes, it is an ambitious agenda, but we can afford to be ambitious. It’s time (for India) to lead. It has to do more to integrate economically with neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan and take a more assertive role across the Asia-Pacific.” Clinton said this a day after attending the second Indo-US joint strategic dialogue in New Delhi.

“This is not a time when any of us can afford to look inwards at the expense of looking outwards. This is a time to seize the emerging opportunities of the 21st century. This is a time to lead,” she said.

“We are betting on India’s future... that the opening of India’s markets to world will produce a more prosperous India and South Asia. We are betting that India’s vibrant pluralistic society will inspire others to follow a similar path of tolerance. We are making this bet not out of blind faith but because we have watched your progress with great admiration,” she added.

She said the future of Asia would be shaped by decisions of the Indian government and 1.3 billion people of the country. — PTI