President George Bush, left, with Ambassador Ronen Sen at the Oval Office in the White House on Sept. 15 when Sen presented his credentials. (Photo: Courtesy, Indian Embassy in Washington)

WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush has said he is looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York this week and expressed the hope that bilateral relations would be strengthened even further.

“The U.S. shares the goal of working together with India to make the strategic partnership broader and deeper,” Bush told Indian ambassador Ronen Sen when the latter presented his credentials at the Oval Office in the White House on Sept. 15.

Bush and Singh are expected to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The president warmly welcomed Ambassador Sen to Washington, and said the development of close relations between the U.S. and India had been a high-priority goal since the beginning of his administration.

He welcomed the public commitment by India to the continued forward movement in bilateral ties and expressed his confidence that under Manmohan Singh’s leadership, the relationship would be strengthened even further.

Bush remarked that the positive transformation in the relationship is rooted in common values and interests as India and the U,S, are democratic societies committed to political freedom, tolerance and the fight against terrorism.

“India’s emergence as a rising world power and its development into a major market economy are significant to the region and the world,” he said.

The president said the U.S.-India economic relationship presents a significant opportunity for both nations. Indian products and services have done well in the U.S. market, and a vibrant and growing Indian economy should be a magnet for increased U.S. exports and investment. He said that this could happen as the pace of economic reforms in India gathered steam.

Bush also noted the real progress in strengthening defense ties. He said expansion of cooperation in civilian nuclear activities, civilian space programs and hi-tech trade as well as of the dialogue on missile defense will deepen the ties of friendship between the two nations.

The president also welcomed the efforts made by the governments of India and Pakistan to improve ties.

Sen reiterated the desire of the new government in New Delhi to strengthen the multi-faceted relations between India and the U.S., which have entered one of the most productive phases of engagement.