NEW DELHI: The United States on Friday extended congratulations to India on its 79th Independence Day and said that the “historic ties” between India and the US are “consequential and far-reaching.“India is marking its 79th Independence Day on Friday with pride and patriotic zeal, celebrating the country’s liberation from more than two centuries of British colonial rule, which ended in 1947.In a statement, US State Secretary Marco Rubio said that America and India shared vision for a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific region. “On behalf of the United States, I extend our congratulations and warm wishes to the people of India as they celebrate their Independence Day on August 15. The historic relationship between the world’s largest democracy and the world’s oldest democracy is consequential and far-reaching,” the statement read. “Our two countries are united by our shared vision for a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific region. Our partnership spans industries, promotes innovation, pushes the boundaries of critical and emerging technologies, and extends into space,” he added. Ties between India and the United States have grown tense in recent weeks after US President Donald Trump claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during May’s Operation Sindoor — a claim New Delhi firmly rejects, insisting no third party was involved. The friction deepened when Trump slapped 50% tariffs on Indian imports in retaliation for India’s purchase of Russian oil.