India's Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, who shared dais with US ambassador at a programme near here Friday, said the two countries have maturity not to allow one issue to cast its shadow on their strategic partnership.The minister was replying to queries about the arrest and handcuffing of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in the US He defended his sharing of dais with USambassador Nancy J. Powell at inauguration of community water system of WaterHealth India at Janawada village near here."This is an issue which needs to be addressed and a mature solution is found but at the same time one particular issue does not cast its shadow on strategic partnership which is very important between two largest democracies," he said.
"We are mature enough to address issues in a manner that don't bring in a situation which derails a very important partnership," he added."I am not a person who believes in strong words in diplomacy. Diplomacy means reciprocity," said Sharma when asked about some strong words being exchanged between the two countries.The US ambassador declined to speak to media. Former US ambassador to India Richard Celeste also attended the event.In a New Year message Powell had expressed "regret" over the way Khobragade was arrested. She said the forward movement in India-US relations has been "jolted by the very different reactions to issues involving one of your consular officers and her domestic worker".Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, was arrested, handcuffed and strip-searched on Dec 12, causing widespread outrage in India.