When we look around the world today, when we pause for a moment and try to understand where we are and where we’re headed, it becomes clear that the challenges we face as nations, as economies, as communities of people, cannot be solved by any single country acting alone. Whether it is the disruptions in trade, the pace of technological change, or the instability that comes when regions fall into conflict, the truth is that no wall, no tariff, no measure of protectionism can shield us from the currents of an interconnected world. And so the question before us is not whether we will engage with one another, but how we will engage. Will we see other nations as competitors to be outdone, as adversaries to be resisted, as markets to be exploited? Or will we see them as partners, partners in building a fairer order that reflects not just the interests of a few but the aspirations of many. That is the question before us, and it is in that spirit that I speak about India, and about the role India must play alongside the United States in shaping the world we wish to leave to our children.India is not a small player on the sidelines of history. It is a nation of more than a billion people, a nation with a civilization that stretches back thousands of years, a nation that has endured colonization and emerged with a fierce independence, a nation that has built one of the most dynamic democracies on Earth. Today, India is home to one of the fastest-growing major economies, a hub of technological innovation, a vibrant culture that stretches across continents. It is a country that speaks with confidence in global forums, that is willing to shoulder responsibilities, that is ready to be heard. And when a nation of this scale and stature decides to engage constructively with the world, the world cannot help but be shaped by it. So when we talk about a fairer global order, one where opportunity is not limited to the privileged few, where rules are written to protect the many and not just the powerful, India must be at the table, and America must recognize that our future is bound up with theirs.Now, I understand that tariffs make the headlines. Trade disputes capture our attention. And it is true that disagreements over markets and access and regulations will always be part of the conversation between two large economies. But these disputes, as serious as they may seem, are not the whole story. They are not the sum of our relationship. They are chapters in a much larger book. Because when you step back, when you take a wider view, what you see is that the United States and India are bound by something far greater than a list of grievances or a ledger of goods. We are bound by shared values, by a belief in democracy, by a commitment to freedom of expression, by the conviction that progress is real when it reaches ordinary people, not just those at the top. These bonds, deeper than any tariff, stronger than any trade friction, form the foundation of a partnership that can help the world move closer to fairness.A fairer global order is not simply a slogan. It means creating systems that reflect equity, that lift those who have been left out, that spread the benefits of growth more broadly. And if you are serious about that vision, you cannot exclude India. You cannot write the rules of trade, or climate, or technology, or security without acknowledging the weight India carries. And you cannot sustain those rules without India’s participation. So the question is not whether India deserves a place; the question is whether we have the wisdom to embrace India fully as a partner, not just when it is convenient, not just when it serves a narrow interest, but as a matter of principle and vision.When you talk to people in America, when you walk through neighborhoods, when you step into classrooms, when you visit small businesses, you see the ties already binding our nations together. The Indian-American community is one of the fastest-growing, most successful groups in the United States. They contribute in science, in medicine, in business, in public service. They bring with them traditions of family, of hard work, of education, of resilience. They enrich our culture and expand our understanding of what it means to be American. These people-to-people