The United States, India and the world want stability in Pakistan, U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday amid the ongoing turmoil in the neighbouring country.

Emphasising the importance of stability, he highlighted engagement while respecting the Pakistanis’ autonomy in determining their future.

“We hope that there will not be unrest in Pakistan and we stay engaged with Pakistan because of that. I think that serves both India and the United States and the world. And we hope and pray that the rule of law and peace will prevail over the border. But, that’s up to the Pakistani people to decide,” he said.

Mr. Garcetti said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the U.S. this June to meet with President Joe Biden.

“This will be India’s first official state visit to the United States in 14 years and just the third official state visit hosted by the Biden Administration. It’s only the third time in 75 years that an Indian Prime Minister has visited. This year holds great promises for India and the U.S. in terms of what the two nations can do,” he said.

Mr. Garcetti said that before coming to India, he spoke to President Biden about his vision for the U.S.-India partnership, and the President stressed just how pivotal the current moment is.

“It’s pivotal for the whole planet, of course, but especially for our two countries, who have never worked closely together as we do today,” he said.

The U.S. is now India’s biggest trading partner, with $191 billion in bilateral trade last year and India now sends the most students of any country to the U.S., he said.

“But when I think about when I first came here, it was so different. Our relationship was a one-way flow. Our defence trade was zero. And we hardly had any international economic ties together. We are now the largest trading partner of India in the U.S.,” Mr. Garcetti said.

He said both nations are now protecting an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, connected, prosperous, secure and resilient. “And our leading companies collaborate to solve global challenges in inclusive development and renewable energy. We are jointly addressing global health and development challenges, confronting climate change, and delivering next-generation critical and emerging technologies,” the U.S. Ambassador said.