Prominent Indian Americans, including two Republican presidential contenders, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, have shown their support for Israel in the wake of the most significant escalations in decades in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted numerous airstrikes targeting Hamas’ key infrastructure, resulting in approximately 1,000 confirmed deaths. Earlier Hamas launched a series of rocket attacks on southern Israel, causing over 600 casualties, including soldiers, and injuring more than 1,900.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley stressed the importance of standing with Israel due to the shared opposition from groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and their Iranian backers. She emphasized the need for unity and support, stating that what happened to Israel could potentially occur in America.

Haley, in a social media post, urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “finish them (Hamas).”

Hamas is a militant group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, a densely populated territory surrounded by Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Haley highlighted her past efforts to denounce Hamas while serving as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and emphasized the importance of not yielding to international pressure when it comes to defending Israel’s interests.

Vivek Ramaswamy, another Indian American Republican candidate, pointed out that the attack on Israel should serve as a lesson for the United States regarding the need to secure its own borders. He drew parallels between the situation in Israel and the challenges faced by the U.S. along its southern border and emphasized the importance of border defense and other security measures.

Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of the U.S. India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF), expressed solidarity with Israel, displaying the Indian flag alongside an “I stand with Israel” message on a social media platform.

Indian American community leader Bharat Barai strongly condemned Hamas and Hezbollah as barbaric terrorist organizations and supported Israel’s right to defend itself against their attacks.

Community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria described the attacks by Hamas on Israel as “horrific” and expressed support for Israel’s right to self-defense while also highlighting the importance of protecting innocent civilian lives on both sides.

Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi affirmed the United States’ unequivocal support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terror attacks.

Congressman Ro Khanna expressed his solidarity with Israel in the face of “inhuman and appalling” attacks by Hamas, emphasizing his support for the Israeli people during this challenging time.

Dr. Ami Bera, another Indian American Congressman, strongly condemned the terrorist attack by Hamas and stressed the importance of the United States standing with Israel to protect its sovereignty.

Congressman Thanedar emphasized the need for Congress to rally behind Israel until the threat is addressed and security is restored.

The Indian American community, through its influential figures and leaders, stood firmly with Israel and called for an end to the violence and protection of innocent lives.

US officials insisted on Thursday that ties with India would remain unaffected amid a brewing diplomatic crisis with Canada. The assertion came as the Ministry of External Affairs called for Canada to downsize its diplomatic staff and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted that Ottawa did not wish to ‘escalate the situation’.

“The US Embassy dismisses these reports. Ambassador Garcetti is working hard every day to deepen the partnership between the people and governments of the United States and India. As his personal engagement and public schedule demonstrates, Ambassador Garcetti and the US Mission to India are working every day to advance the important, strategic, and consequential partnership we have with India,” said US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti.

Meanwhile External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that the two countries are discussing “modalities on achieving” parity as to the levels of diplomatic representation.

“On discussions on parity, given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence here and their interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing to achieve this. Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction,” he said.

Ties between Canada and India have been strained since Trudeau insisted last month that there was ‘credible evidence’ linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader. Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar had been gunned down by unknown assailants in Surrey in June.

Following the assertion – dismissed as ‘absurd’ by India – both countries had expelled a senior diplomat each. India has also canceled visas for Canadians and more recently, called for the removal of 41 of its 62 diplomats from the country.

The United States will continue to foster a stronger defence partnership with India, the Pentagon said on Friday.

“We very much appreciate our relationship with India on a defence level. We continue to foster a stronger defence partnership with India and that is something that I think you’ll continue to see us do going forward,” Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder told reporters at a news conference here.

In 1997, defence trade between India and the US was almost negligible, today it stands above USD 20 billion.

Responding to a question, Ryder said China remains the “pacing challenge” for the Department of Defense.

“We do appreciate the partnership that we have with India and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region when it comes to preserving individual nations’ sovereignty and abiding by the international rules-based order that has preserved peace and stability for many years,” he said.

An Indian-American student studying in London has decided to choose a career in medicine after the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) medics saved his life after his heart stopped six times.

Atul Rao, from Seattle and a student from Baylor University in Texas, developed a blood clot in his lungs which stopped the blood flow through his heart, a condition called pulmonary embolism, and caused him to go into cardiac arrest.

After he was rushed to London’s Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Hammersmith Hospital’s heart attack centre, scans confirmed that blood clots in the lungs were blocking the flow of blood from the heart. Recently, Rao returned to the hospital in London with his parents to express his gratitude.

“Before this happened, I was starting to wonder if I was doing the right thing doing medicine and whether I should be going into business instead,” Rao told the NHS medics during the visit last month.

“But the minute I woke up I knew. I want to use my time in a productive way. I want to use my second chance at life by helping others,” he said.

Rao is in his final year of a pre-med degree which would allow him to go on to a further degree to practice medicine. On July 27, he was discovered collapsed by fellow students who raised the alarm before an Imperial College London security guard began to give him chest compressions (CPR) in the minutes ahead of London Ambulance Service crews arrived.

“The last time I saw Atul I didn’t think he was going to survive. To meet him again and speak with his parents after giving them such terrible news was a very special moment in my 18 years in this job,” said Nick Sillett, the ambulance service’s paramedic.

Staff at Hammersmith Hospital worked tirelessly through the night to keep Atul alive and he was still critically unwell when he was transported to St. Thomas’ Hospital the following day in case he needed access to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) – a life support system which can fully replace the work of the heart and lungs so that patients have time to heal.

The clot-busting drugs had begun to work and with the help of other life support machines, he was able to recover without the need for ECMO.

“This was a real team effort and so many people helped ensure Atul was able to be here. It’s a privilege to be a part of that and hear that you have helped make such a positive impact,” said Dr Louit Thakuria, critical care consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust’s Hammersmith Hospital.

Atul’s father Ajay, who works at a software company in the US, recalled his agonising flight over to London after knowing decisions were being made which could affect whether his son would live.

“I’m not exaggerating, Hammersmith and St. Thomas’ hospitals have become places of worship for us. We will be coming here whenever we come to London. It was the heroic efforts of London Ambulance Service, the amazing medical teams of Hammersmith, St Thomas’ and Royal Brompton that saved him from this life-threatening series of events,” he said.

Mother Srividhya, a maths professor in Seattle, added: “A really bad thing happened in a really good place. Everyone who worked around Atul wanted him to be well. It’s clear they love and care about what they do.

“I feel blessed to be here and I’m so thankful and grateful to you for giving my son back to me. I have gained perspective about life and he gets to see it at such a young age. His life has changed, and it’s had a profound impact.”

Indian-Americans have made a mark for themselves in the US and under President Joe Biden the community members are throughout the administration, a top White House official has said.

“We have such a strong person-to-person, community-to-community leader relationship based on the strength of the diaspora,” Neera Tanden, the Director of the United States Domestic Policy Council, said on Saturday at an event held at India House – the official residence of India’s Ambassador to the US.

“When I first came to Washington, there were just a few people in the Clinton administration who were Indian-American, and today Indian Americans are throughout the administration. When we’re talking about AI issues, the Office of Science and Technology Policy is run by Arti Prabhakar, an Indian American,” she said

“When you hear the President’s words in his amazing speech on democracy just two days ago, those words are written by Vinay Reddy. In fact, you can’t throw a stone in the White House and not hit an Indian American these days,” Tanden said amidst applause from the several hundred Indian Americans who had gathered at the India House.

“That is really because, over so many years, this community has widened its span to think broadly about contributions to our country. As an immigrant, when I first came to Washington, most people asked me why I was here and not working in medicine or business or some other area and I don’t get that question anymore because of how much our community has honestly matured and recognised that we can participate and contribute in so many ways,” she said.

“I think it is the strength of that relationship and the strength of the democratic participation that we are part of that builds on the US-India relationship,” Tanden said.

Sethuraman Panchanathan, the 15th Director of the National Science Foundation, said science and technology innovation make possible robust democracies.

“But more recently it has been challenged again, science and technological innovation will be the way in which we will ensure robust democracies. Science, technology, innovation is the method by which we will guarantee development both in the US as well as in India,” he said.

“What better way of exemplifying the friendship between the United States and India, than the amazing science, technology and innovation people that transcend between the US and India? You look at all the CEOs of all the technology companies, you look at the great scientists, you look at the great leaders in the industry, entrepreneurs like our Congressman here. This is truly an expression of the full frame and the full expression of what science, technology, innovation can do,” Panchanathan.

Nisha Desai Biswal, the Deputy CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, said the India-US relationship is not just a government-to-government relationship.

“It is far, far more than that. It is a people-to-people, a business-to-business, an academic institution, scientific collaboration, and it’s most importantly an indication and a result of the investment of this very large and active Indian-American diaspora that has been persistent over decades in building that relationship as well,” Biswal said.

The Development Finance Corporation is looking to create important, impactful ways of financing infrastructure, energy, health, and food security around the world.

“Nowhere are we more active than in India, our largest portfolio of investments. It is such a critically important relationship because India is a driver of growth. India is a driver of development not only in its borders but around the world. So, this partnership becomes critically important,” she said.

“We’re working in India and with India to diversify solar supply chains so that we are not all globally dependent on one country for the renewable technology that we need on our planet today,” she said.

“We have two large solar manufacturing projects in India today. We are working with India to advance global vaccine manufacturing, working with Indian companies, working on food security and economic inclusion targeting women entrepreneurs and so many more,” Biswal said.

Dr Vivek Hallegere Murthy, the US Surgeon General, said the friendship between India and the United States will be one of the defining friendships and partnerships of the 21st Century.

“It’s a partnership, and I’ll tell you why it was so essential because there’s key progress that we need to make on many areas that you’ve heard about today. But I want to focus in particular on the partnership around health, the importance of our collaboration around future pandemic preparedness and on addressing infectious diseases which know no border,” he said.

“It’s also essential for us to address the growing threat of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease, which continue to take millions and millions of lives each year, but which we could together help address. But it also requires collaboration on one last front, which we don’t talk about often enough, which is addressing mental health, which has become a global struggle in the US and across the world as we’ve seen rising rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide, particularly among young people,” he said.

Dr Rahul Gupta Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Speaker said that it becomes important to reflect upon the core values of the Mahatma truth, non-violence or ahimsa compassion and kindness.