Washington says, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in his first major India-policy speech set the tone of bilateral relationship between India and the US for 100 years. <br/><br/>A State Department official told reporters that Mr Tillerson's speech was designed for many audiences including China. <br/><br/>Noting that a free and open Indo-Pacific is a priority for both the US President and the Secretary of State, the official said, because India is one of the anchors of an Indo-Pacific strategy, the Trump Administration wants to devote a lot of time to this country.<br/><br/>Mr Tillerson is travelling to India next week. President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and Philippines next month.<br/><br/>The official said, Trump Administration considers India as an opportunity and how New Delhi is a critical component to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. <br/><br/>He said, there is a lot of bilateral benefits that follow deepening economic, cultural, diplomatic, and security ties with India. <br/><br/>But there are a range of benefits that also follow for the region, the Indo-Pacific region, he said.<br/><br/>China has risen alongside India, but China has done so less responsibly and China has undermined the international<br/>rules-based order while countries like India operate within this rules-based order, the official said.

Washington says, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in his first major India-policy speech set the tone of bilateral relationship between India and the US for 100 years. <br/><br/>A State Department official told reporters that Mr Tillerson's speech was designed for many audiences including China. <br/><br/>Noting that a free and open Indo-Pacific is a priority for both the US President and the Secretary of State, the official said, because India is one of the anchors of an Indo-Pacific strategy, the Trump Administration wants to devote a lot of time to this country.<br/><br/>Mr Tillerson is travelling to India next week. President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and Philippines next month.<br/><br/>The official said, Trump Administration considers India as an opportunity and how New Delhi is a critical component to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. <br/><br/>He said, there is a lot of bilateral benefits that follow deepening economic, cultural, diplomatic, and security ties with India. <br/><br/>But there are a range of benefits that also follow for the region, the Indo-Pacific region, he said.<br/><br/>China has risen alongside India, but China has done so less responsibly and China has undermined the international<br/>rules-based order while countries like India operate within this rules-based order, the official said.