US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said today that she sees opportunities to develop stronger ties with India during a visit to the country. She focused on counter-terrorism and military co-operation between the world's two largest democracies. Haley said her two-day visit to India is aimed at solidifying the partnership between the two countries. The South Carolina-born daughter of Indian immigrants told reporters in New Delhi that both countries have a willingness to strengthen their partnership. Nikki Haley focused on counter-terrorism and military co-operation between the world's largest two democracies. Pictured: Haley gives a high five to a child at Mukhti Ashram, a shelter for rescued child labor, in New Delhi Haley, the South Carolina-born daughter of Indian immigrants, told reporters in New Delhi that both countries have a willingness to strengthen their partnership. US Ambassador to United Nations Nikki Haley takes a tour of Humayun's Tomb, burial place of the Mughal Emperor Humayun, in New Delhi Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley poses in front of Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi 'We see those opportunities between the United States and India in a multiple level of ways. 'Whether it's countering terrorism ... whether it's the fact that we're going to start to work together more strongly on the military aspect. There is a lot of things that India and the US have in common,' she said. US-India relations have generally prospered in the past decade, in part because of their shared concerns about the rise of China. Both sides share goals of security, free navigation, free trade and fighting terrorists in the Indo-Pacific region. To improve India's military capabilities, the United Sates has offered to sell it unarmed Guardian surveillance drones, aircraft carrier technologies and F-18 and F-16 fighter aircraft. Haley takes a tour of the tomb of Mughal Emperor Humayun. She said she wants to strengthen US and Indian ties Haley visited the majestic tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun (pictured) and Save Childhood Movement, a center for rescued children run by 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi Haley is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj later today. Earlier in the day, Haley visited the majestic tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun and Save Childhood Movement, a center for rescued children run by 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi. She ends her visit to India on Thursday.<doc-sep>U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley visited churches, temples and mosques on the second day of her Indian tour. The 46-year-old, whose parents were born in India, also tried her hand at traditional bread making between events in New Delhi on Thursday. Her stops included the Central Baptist Church, Jama Masjid or Grand Mosque, and Sis Ganj Gurudwara temple, where she prayed as a follower of the Sikh religion. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley prays at the Sis Ganj Gurudwara Sikh temple in New Delhi on the second day of her Indian tour Haley, a practicing Sikh born in South Carolina to Indian parents, prayed that the temple alongside other worshipers Ms Haley also posed for a photo in front of the historic Red Fort in the middle of the road outside the Central Baptist Church. The ambassador earlier spoke at an event by think tank Observer Research Foundation at which she urged India to reconsider its ties to Iran. Washington has stepped up pressure on major Iranian customers, of which India is one, to stop importing its oil. The U.S. Government warned no trading partner would be exempt from new economic sanctions when they bite from November 4. Haley makes Indian bread in the kitchen of the Sis Ganj Gurudwara, a Sikh temple, with U.S. Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster Haley (pictured at the Sikh temple) urged India to reconsider its ties to Iran at and event earlier in the day India imports the overwhelming majority of its oil and Iran is the third-largest supplier to the nation of 1.25 billion people. Haley said she understood India 'can't change its relationship with Iran in a day' but said she used a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to encourage a reassessment. 'I also think for the future of India, and the future of being able to get resources and who they're dependent on, I would encourage them to rethink their relationship with Iran,' she told broadcaster NDTV after an address in New Delhi. 'I think as a friend, India should also decide is this a country that they want to continue doing business with.' US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal last month, re-imposing sanctions that had been suspended in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme. Before the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers, various buyers of Iranian oil including India had waivers or exemptions to US sanctions. Haley arrives at the Sis Ganj Gurudwara Sikh temple surrounded by worshipers dressed in temple-day turbans Haley stands below the temple's ornate door during her visit on Thursday India's foreign ministry said Thursday however that the Islamic republic was a 'very traditional partner' that enjoyed 'historical, civilisational linkages' to India. 'She has her views, and ours views on Iran are very clear,' said ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar of Haley. 'We will take all necessary steps, including engagement with relevant stakeholders to ensure our energy security.' Hayley also warned Pakistan not to give safe haven to terrorists, saying her government's stance on the issue would be pushed stronger than ever. 'We are communicating this message to Pakistan more strongly than in the past and we hope to see changes,' Haley said at the Observer Research event. Haley visits the Jama Masjid or Grand Mosque in New Delhi as part of her interfaith tour Haley talks with Syed Tariq Bukhari, general secretary of the advisory council of the Jama Masjid (left), during her visit to the Jama Masjid mosque, as US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster (right) looks on Haley covered her head with a headscarf as she toured the Jama Masjid mosque Pakistan's cooperation was seen as key to the success of President Donald Trump's Afghanistan policy. Pakistan is under pressure from Washington and the Afghan government to stop offering safe haven to militants blamed for attacks in Afghanistan, a charge Islamabad denies. Pakistan also insists its influence over the Taliban has been exaggerated. India has also blamed a Pakistan-based group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, for attacks on Mumbai in November 2008 that killed 166 people. The U.S. has designated the group a terrorist organization. Haley visits Central Baptist Church in the middle of New Delhi, the third of India's three main religions India has 24 million Christians, which is such a populous country only make up 2.3 per cent of the population Ms Haley also posed for a photo in front of the historic Red Fort in the middle of the road outside the Central Baptist Church Haley said China was an important country and the United States, like India, sought a productive relationship with it. 'But, unlike India, China does not share our commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms,' she said. 'This makes China's expansion of loans and investments in countries in the region a matter of concern for many of us.' Haley said a failure by China to respect the rights of its people and the rule of law would limit its ability to grow and prosper over the long term, and this would limit the United States' relationship with China. Hayley also promised a top-level strategic dialogue with India would take place as soon as possible, after Washington put off the meeting for a second time in months. The talks were expected to cover issues including U.S. sanctions against Russia and Iran, arms sales and trade. The ambassador earlier spoke at an event by think tank Observer Research Foundation at which she urged India to reconsider its ties to Iran Hayley also warned Pakistan not to give safe haven to terrorists, saying her government's stance on the issue would be pushed stronger than ever The so-called two-plus-two talks are the highest level of dialogue between the United States and India and were agreed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. Haley said the ministers would discuss how Washington can continue to support India 'as a provider of regional security, particularly in and around the Indian Ocean.' 'These discussions will undoubtedly involve issues like joint exercises and military hardware and technology.<doc-sep>US envoy to UN Nikki Haley is on her second visit to India since 2014 US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley today met Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and reiterated America's commitment to ending child trafficking. The two talked about the challenges in ensuring children safety and rights, prevention of crime against children and also on the prospect of an international monitoring agency under UN. Ms Haley, who is on a two-day visit to India, met Mr Satyarthi at the 'Mukti Ashram', a short-term rehabilitation home for rescued children in New Delhi to discuss children's rights, human rights and security matters, according to a statement by Mr Satyarthi's office. Dubbing crimes against children as the "biggest crisis facing humanity currently", Mr Satyarthi urged the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration that an international response mechanism be formed under the aegis of the United Nations to address the issue. "It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every child is safe and afforded every opportunity to have a full life. I look forward to sharing our commitment to end child trafficking," said Ms Haley. The two also discussed international problems pertaining to children's safety and rights. Ms Haley also interacted at length with the children who had been rescued from various factories by Mr Satyarthi's team at his NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan," according to the statement. "India and the US are two of the largest democracies in the world and should take collective responsibility for the protection of children," Mr Satyarthi said. Ms Haley is on her first visit to India since becoming the US envoy to UN. She had earlier visited India in late 2014, when she was the South Carolina Governor. Ms Haley is the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Punjab and is the first Indian-American to serve in a Cabinet-level position in any US presidential administration.<doc-sep>NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump shares Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of nations pursuing growth "free and fearless in their choices" in the Indo-Pacific region, American envoy to the UN Nikki Haley said today asserting that the US wants to take bilateral ties to the next level. In an address here on advancing bilateral relations, she exuded confidence that the two countries will stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" in confronting regional and global challenges. Responding to a question, she also talked about the contentious issue of immigration amid an uproar over detention of scores of people in the US, including Indians, for illegally entering the country. America is a country of immigrants, but it cannot allow illegal immigration in the wake of the challenge of terrorism, Haley said. The US is trying to find a way to know exactly who is coming in the country to properly secure its people, she said. Her remarks come amid the issue of a group of 52 Indians, mostly Sikhs, being held at a detention centre in the US State of Oregon for being part of a large contingent of illegal immigrants seeking asylum. Haley, in her address organised by think-tank Observer Research Foundation, lauded the Indian-American community, saying they had given so much to themselves and to their new country. India and the US enjoy a natural friendship that is based on their shared values and interests, the 46-year-old Indian American said. "The Trump Administration seeks to take the US-India relationship to the next level; to build a strategic partnership rooted in our common values and directed toward our common interests," she said. Haley said India was a state with advanced nuclear technologies widely accepted around the world because it is a democracy and continues to be a responsible leader. Noting that in the last couple of years, India has joined three major nonproliferation groupings, she said the US also fully supports India's membership bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group. "India continues to demonstrate it is a responsible steward of its nuclear technology," she said. Asserting that there was also great opportunity for the US to help meet India's energy needs, she said there was room for progress on civil nuclear cooperation. Noting that the US-India military partnership was deepening, Haley said America had significantly upgraded its security cooperation with India, which was now Washington's major defence partner. Her remarks come a day after the US conveyed to India that it had postponed the 2+2 dialogue scheduled to be held in Washington next week, due to "unavoidable reasons". "When America's and India's defence and foreign ministers meet they will discuss ways the United States can continue to support India as a provider of regional security, particularly in and around the Indian Ocean," she said. Underlining the importance of the Indo-Pacific which is home to many of the world's fastest-growing economies, Haley said it was essential to use every tool to foster continued prosperity, peace, and security throughout the region. Recalling Modi's speech at the Shangri La Dialogue earlier this month, she said he spoke compellingly about India's vision for the region, which included a vision of sovereign countries pursuing growth in "free and fearless in their choices". "President Trump shares that vision. A free and open Indo-Pacific region is central to that vision. America's vision of the Indo-Pacific future is aspirational, but it is also realistic," she said. Noting that not all nations in the region embrace the values India and the US share, she said the American vision for the region was inclusive. Her remarks come amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region. Haley said China was also an important country in the region, but, unlike India, it does not share the US' commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms. "This makes China's expansion of loans and investments in countries in the region a matter of concern for many of us. China's failure to respect the rights of its people and the rule of law will limit its own ability to grow and prosper over the long term. And unlike with India, this will limit the United States' relationship with China," she said. She said India and a strengthened Indo-US partnership were at the centre of the notion of seeking for every country the ability and opportunity to interact as a sovereign and equal nation. "Perhaps no other partnership has as much potential for global peace and prosperity over the next 10, 20, or 50 years," Haley said. She exuded confidence that in the years to come, the US and India will stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" in many ways to confront the challenges of the Indo-Pacific region and the world. Haley asserted that countries that honour and respect the voice of their people do not threaten peace and security, they uphold it. She highlighted that in the trouble spots in the world, often there are countries that do not respect the will of their people, as she mentioned South Sudan, North Korea and Iran in this context. Describing Iran as a "theocratic dictatorship" that abuses its people, funds terrorism, and spreads conflict throughout the Middle East, she said the Tehran regime was the hidden, and sometimes not-so-hidden, force behind most of the conflict in the region. "And its aggressive ambitions reach much further abroad. Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon threatens all of us," she said. Facebook Twitter Linkedin EMail<doc-sep>
(With inputs from PTI) NEW DELHI: The US's ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley , said today that the "freedom of religion is just as important as freedom of rights and freedom of people", reported news agency ANI.Haley, who is on a visit to India, also said that's the reason she's looking forward to an interfaith tour scheduled in her itinerary for tomorrow. As well, she said her visit to India is to ''solidify" the US's "love for India" in a time of worldwide uncertainty and strife,. "I'm here to once again solidify our love for India, our belief in friendship that India and the US have together and our willingness to want to make that relationship even stronger. In this day and time, we see more and more reasons for India and the US to come together," said Haley, who is an American of Indian origin, and whose first trip this is to the country since being appointed by the Donald Trump administration.During her two-day visit, Haley will meet with senior Indian officials, NGO and business leaders, students and the inter-faith community. Talks between Haley, the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration, and Indian officials are expected on a host of issues, including India-US strategic ties and significant global developments and the two democracies' leadership in the world. "We're two (of the) oldest democracies and we see those opportunities between US and India in multiple level of ways ... whether it's countering terrorism or we want to continue our democratic opportunities, or we are going to start to work together more strongly on the military aspect, " said Haley.Earlier today, Haley visited the magnificent Humayun's Tomb in the Capital. And though this is her maiden visit as a US administration official, to the land of her forefathers, she has been here before and said the country is still beautiful. "It makes me happy to be back in India. It's as beautiful as I remember it to be. We started out at Humayun's tomb which is a reminder of how much we value culture and how much India values culture and to see the preservation that has happened here," said Haley.The visit to India by one of the Republican party's rising stars comes just days before U.S. secretary of state Michael Pompeo and secretary of defence James Mattis will host external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Washington for the inaugural US-India 2+2 Dialogue on July 6.This meeting will focus on strengthening strategic, security, and defence cooperation as the U.S. and India jointly confront global challenges, the State Department has said.Haley last visited India in late 2014 when she was the South Carolina Governor. She's a daughter of Sikh immigrants from Punjab and the first Indian-American to serve in a Cabinet-level position in any US Presidential administration.