Washington, Sep 24 (IANS) US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday hailed New Delhi as an “awesome ally” and said he is a “huge fan of India,” while calling for deeper energy cooperation between the two countries.

Addressing a press conference in New York, Wright praised the country as a “dynamic society” with a “rapidly growing energy demand.”

“A lot of my early time when I arrived in my position was dealing with India, the world’s largest democracy, an awesome ally of the United States, a fast-growing economy, a truly dynamic society that has rapidly growing energy demand because people are increasing their prosperity, their opportunities. I’m a huge fan of India. We love India,” he added.

His statement comes as Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday also called for expanding India-US energy trade.

In an event on Energy Security in New York, Goyal spoke about the “scope to expand India-US energy trade” and collaboration on nuclear power as an affordable clean energy option, and promoting start-ups in renewables.

Wright also mentioned the “friction” between the two sides on India’s purchase of Russian oil, saying that US President Donald Trump is attempting to use his tools and leverage to bring peace in Ukraine.

“We want to bring that war to an end. I believe the Indians want to bring that war to an end,” he said.

Wright stressed that the United States wants to “expand our energy cooperation” with India.

“We want to expand our energy cooperation with India, in natural gas, in coal, in nuclear and in clean cooking fuels, liquid petroleum gas. India has been a star in that area. So, we want nothing more than more trade energy cooperation with India,” he pointed out.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the Trump administration may be willing to ‘fix’ the additional 25 per cent tariffs imposed on India over its purchases of Russian oil.

In an interview with NBC News, Rubio spoke about the US measures to end the conflict in Ukraine and hoped its additional tariffs against India could be fixed.

“We have already seen the measures we have taken with regard to India, although that’s something we hope we can fix,” he said.

Rubio also blamed the European countries for not “doing enough.”

In another interview with ABC News, Rubio termed India a “very close partner” of the United States.

“We’ve imposed additional tariffs on India – and they’re a very close partner of ours – and we had meetings with them again yesterday, and it has to do with their purchase of Russian oil,” Rubio added.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is also in New York for the UN General Assembly, met Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday.

After the talks, Rubio said that India is of “critical” value to his country and welcomed the ongoing trade interactions.

Jaishankar also posted on X, “Our conversation covered a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern. Agreed on the importance of sustained engagement to progress on priority areas”.

–IANS

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