Biden calls India an 'indispensable partner' on 75th anniversary of independence

FILE PHOTO: The Gateway of India is lit in the colours of the Indian national flag ahead of its 75th Independence Day, in Mumbai, India, August 13, 2022. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday congratulated India on 75 years of independence and said the United States and India were "indispensable partners" that would continue to work together to address global challenges in the years ahead.

India will mark its 75th year of independence on Monday, celebrating the end of British colonial rule in 1947.

"The United States joins the people of India to honor its democratic journey, guided by Mahatma Gandhi's enduring message of truth and non-violence," Biden said in a statement, referring to the leader of India's independence movement.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers remarks on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 28, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

"India and the United States are indispensable partners, and the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership is grounded in our shared commitment to the rule of law and the promotion of human freedom and dignity," Biden said.

Biden also said his country's Indian-American community had made the United States a more innovative, inclusive, and stronger nation.

(Reporting by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Diane Craft)