New Delhi, Apr. 29 (ANI): United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, currently on an official visit to India, on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama have 'seized the opportunity' to take the relationship between New Delhi and Washington DC to the next level.

"Every successive government should build on the last one to take the relationship to the next place. There has been for many years a very strong Indo-US relationship; this is not brand new. What has happened is another injection of energy, focus and vision and I see that both Prime Minister Modi and President Obama see the possibilities in this new burst of energy and ability to take this relationship to the next level," Sherman said, while addressing an event in the national capital.

"We are very fortunate that both our leaders see this opportunity and seized it, and what is even more important is that they will demand that we seize it. Leaders lead, and then people have to work to get the job done, and that is our responsibility, the responsibility of all the citizens of our countries," she added.

The India-US bilateral relations have developed into a 'global strategic partnership', based on shared democratic values and increasing convergence of interests on bilateral, regional and global issues. The bilateral ties and enhanced cooperation came under a new motto, "Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go", which was adopted following the summit between Prime Minister Modi and President Obama during the former's visit to Washington DC last year. (ANI)