Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna is in Delhi as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional delegation to India. Khanna, on Monday, said that China needs to respect India's borders.
“It's very important that we keep India's sovereignty.… They (China) need to respect India's border and this is why I went to the Western Naval Command. We are working very closely with the American Navy to make sure the Arabian Sea remains free for navigation and that the Indian Ocean remains free, and we will continue to strengthen that relationship,” Khanna told ANI.
Khanna's comments come as India and China, on Monday, held a fresh round of military talks with a focus on disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh and easing overall tensions in the region, according to a PTI report. Khanna said he hoped that India would play a role in bringing about peace between Ukraine and Russia.
Khanna also said he would work towards India getting critical US technologies like key allies including Israel, Japan and South Korea. Answering a query about discussions on democratic and human rights he said, recognising minority rights and pluralism helps become better democracies.
Khanna also condemned the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco by Khalistani extremists in July. “There was no place for that and I condemned it very strongly. There can be no violence against an embassy, against a consulate in America and there is no space for a separatist movement,” he said.
He termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit to the US a “big success” and added that bilateral ties have never been stronger. "I am very pleased to see that the Indian Navy is doing exercises with the American Navy to make sure that the Arabian Sea is safe for free shipping lines," he told PTI.
The Congressman also met with Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan. “Amitabh Bachchan's life story embodies the story of India. He is the biggest brand ambassador for India to the world,” Khanna told PTI.
Bachchan reportedly presented Khanna with a book written by his father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, who knew Khanna's grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar, a freedom fighter. Vidyalankar worked closely with Lala Lajpat Rai and spent two years in jail during the Quit India movement.
