The US has said it is glad to be part of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC). It said such regional and multilateral institutions play a vital role in addressing the shared challenges.

“We welcome the news that we have been included as a dialogue partner in the IOR-ARC,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told presspersons while responding to a question on the induction of the US as a dialogue partner in the 20-nation IOR-ARC.

India played a major diplomatic role in the inclusion of the US in the multilateral forum.

“These kinds of regional and multilateral institutions play a vital role in addressing the shared challenges that we have and building a more prosperous and peaceful region. As you know, that part of the world is extremely strategically important. We are glad to see the States around the Indian Ocean working together. And we welcome the opportunity to be part of that conversation in a dialogue capacity,” Nuland said.

The US has been inducted as a dialogue partner of IOR-ARC despite opposition from Iran, mainly because of the hectic diplomatic efforts of New Delhi.

“I think it speaks to the fact that other States in the region very much welcome having us as a dialogue partner,” Nuland said when asked about the Iranian opposition to it.

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