United States Secretary of State John Kerry addressed students at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, on Wednesday. During the Townhall session at one of India's premier engineering institutes, Kerry spoke about a wide range of subjects like terrorism, energy crisis, climate change and India-US partnerships.
Students had a healthy question and answer round with the top US official. From South China Sea dispute to the US Presidential elections, students quizzed him about many other world affairs.
One research scholar even asked what US wants India to do better, to which Kerry diplomatically said that while India and US have a great relationship, it wished that India would find an alternative to coal.
Here are top 10 quotes from John Kerry's interaction with students at IIT-Delhi on Aug. 31.
- "Don't know how you all got here. You must've needed boats to get here."
- "It is clear that Pakistan has work to do in order to push harder against its indigenous groups that are engaged in terrorist activities. They must work with us to help clear the sanctuary of bad actors who are affecting not only India-Pakistan relationship but also our ability to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan."
- "Your entrepreneurs... urgently need the freedom to pursue new ideas, the ability to start up new businesses without a lot of red tape, and access to infrastructure that makes it easier to translate fresh concepts into successful companies."
- "You have to have sensible regulations and your bureaucracy needs to be streamlined and effective -- a partner in making decisions, not an expert in setting up roadblocks."
- "The bottom line is that the deep cooperation between India and the United States matters a great deal to both our countries and to the entire world."
- "There is a way but it is complicated (India's UNSC bid). We are working on it. We support some of the reforms (in UN). But it's going to take a while and one has to work through that."
- "Keep showing what your society can do. The philosophy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, other terrorist organisations is are nihilistic. Provide the alternative to young people, focus on the people who need education."
- "It happens to be an extraordinarily challenging moment on this planet. The world is moving in a profoundly transformative way, because of technology (it is a huge benefit and disruptor). Many things have changed because of it, the kind of work, all affected by robotics and artificial intelligence."
- "In fairness Pakistan has suffered greatly from this terrorism in their own country. More than 50,000 people have been killed."
- "What is happening is an open debate. Everyone is seeing what each person is saying. It's an unvarnished, open slug fest," said Kerry about US elections.
