Joe Biden inauguration live updates: Mexico welcomes Biden order to halt border wall construction

“India has been a bipartisan success story of our successive administrations,” Secretary of State nominee Tony Blinken told members of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has been a very strong advocate of renewable energy and different technologies. I think there is very strong potential for our countries to work together," Blinken said. A confidante of President-elect Joe Biden, Blinken had served as the Deputy Secretary of State in the second term of the Obama Administration and the National Security Advisor to Biden when he was the vice president.

The objective of the incoming Biden Administration is to continue elevating the US' defense partnership with India, the Defense Secretary nominee told lawmakers. “If confirmed, my overarching objective for our defense relationship with India would be to continue elevating the partnership,” retired Gen. Lloyd Austin told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday. President-elect Joe Biden has nominated him as his Defense Secretary. “I would further operationalise India's 'Major Defense Partner' status and continue to build upon existing strong defense cooperation to ensure the US and Indian militaries can collaborate to address shared interests,” Austin said in response to a question submitted before his confirmation hearing.

He asked Americans to "pray" for the success of the incoming administration -- a change from months spent persuading his Republican followers that the Democrats cheated their way to election victory.