External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has described the US as an important partner in its development efforts and said for India it would remain a relationship of great priority and importance in the 21st century.

Speaking at a function in Providence, Rhode Island of the United States, he said as they looked at the priorities for India's foreign policy in the decades ahead, they saw not only convergence of interests with Washington but also a belief in the importance of a strong partnership between our two great democracies in achieving their shared goals. Krishna said it was that recognition that had led to an extraordinary political investment in the two countries in transforming India-US relations and in establishing a durable and broad-based framework of a global strategic partnership.

He said the success of India-US partnership would not only contribute to the prosperity in the two countries, but, in a world of great flux and diversity, it will be a model of international partnership and a factor of global and regional peace, security and stability.