1st LD Writethru: India-U.S. relationship can be this century's defining partnership, says Obama

Visiting U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday hailed India as a "natural partner," saying that the relationship can be a defining partnership of this century.

"The relationship between the two countries can be one of the defining partnerships of the century. We are one of the few nations who have gone both to the moon and Mars. America has the largest Indian diaspora in the world, they tie us together," President Obama said in an address at the Town Hall.

"India and the U.S. not just natural partners, I believe we can be best partners. The world would be a lot safer when our two democracies stand together," he told a gathering of 2,000 people.

Obama also promised that the United States would support India' s bid for a permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"I support India as permanent member of a reformed UNSC. We must never stop working for the world as it should be -- a world without nuclear weapons, that's our goal."

Reiterating U.S. commitment to helping India, the U.S. president said his country wanted to be India's partner to lift people's livelihood.

"In recent years, India has lifted more people from poverty than any other country. America wants to be India's partner to lift up the lives of people. We live in countries where a grandson of a cook can become the president and son of a tea-seller can become prime minister," he said.

Obama, who arrived in the Indian capital Sunday for a three-day tour, attended the Republic Day celebrations on Monday.

He is not only the first U.S. president to visit India twice in his tenure, but the first American leader to be a chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. Endi