US Department of State spokesperson John Kirby has reiterated that India remains and will remain Washington’s key partner and strong bilateral relations will also continue.

“We greatly value and respect the relationship we have with India today and the one that we have worked very, very hard at improving and strengthening,” the state department spokesperson John Kirby said.

“We are going to stay completely focused on that for the remainder of this Obama administration,” Kirby said on Friday as he welcomed new Indian ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna.

“We welcome the new ambassador and we look forward to working closely with him as he settles into his new duties, but I can tell you that nothing is going to change for the remainder of secretary of state (John) Kerry’s tenure about the very keen focus that we are going to continue to place on our bilateral relationship with India.