India "looking forward" to welcome Secy of State Tillerson, welcomes his statement

New Delhi, Oct 20: India on Friday said it is "looking forward" to welcome the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his visit next week and also welcomed his statement that New Delhi-Washington cooperation in counter-terrorism has strengthened in recent years. "We look forward to welcoming him in India next week for detailed discussions on further strengthening of our partnership," MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said in response to a question here on Friday. "We appreciate his (Tillerson's) positive evaluation of the relationship and share his optimism about its future directions," he said referring to Mr Tillerson's statement at at a deliberation at the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on October 18. 'Secretary Tillerson has made a significant policy statement on India-US relations and its future. He brought out its various strengths and highlighted our shared commitment to a rule-based international order," the MEA spokesman said. The US Secretary of State Tillerson on Wednesday, said at the CSIS that it is the obligation, not choice, of every civilized nation to fight the terror menace. "We expect Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorist groups based there that threaten its own people and the broader region," Mr Tillerson said while speaking on 'Defining Our Relationship with India for the Next Century'. "India and the US are cross-screening known and suspected terrorists," he has said. He also has said that in the last decade the counter terrorism cooperation between India and the US has expanded significantly and "The US and India stand shoulder to shoulder against terrorism." Mr Tillerson also had slammed China's actions in South China Sea. The US Secretary of State, who is to embark on a crucial and his first visit to the South Asia next week, will make a tour of India and also Pakistan. UNI