India shares Tillerson's optimism on Indo-US ties

New Delhi: India said on Friday that it appreciates US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's positive evaluation of the Indo-US ties, asserting that New Delhi shares his optimism and looks forward to welcoming him here next week for discussions to strengthen the partnership.

Secretary Tillerson has made a significant policy statement on India-US relations and its future, an external affairs ministry statement said.

"He brought out its various strengths and highlighted our shared commitment to a rule-based international order. We look forward to welcoming him in India next week for detailed discussions on further strengthening of our partnership," the statement said.

Making a statement on "defining our relationship with India for the next century", Tillerson last week had said the US is India's "reliable partner" at the world stage in this period of uncertainty and angst.

In a major India-policy speech, the first by the Trump administration, Tillerson had referred to the rise of China, saying its behaviour and action was "posing a challenge to the rules-based international order".

"China's provocative actions in the South China Sea directly challenge the international law and norms that the US and India both stand for," he had said. The US Secretary of State will embark on a crucial trip to India and Pakistan next week as part of his week-long five-nation tour that would also take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Switzerland. In Delhi Tillerson will meet external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj EAM and other senior officials, including foreign secretary S Jaishankar.