The US seeks greater trade and energy cooperation with its “awesome ally” India, Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said, while acknowledging “friction” between the countries over New Delhi’s import of discounted Russian oil under sanctions. Wright made the remarks at a press conference organised at the New York Foreign Press Centre on Wednesday on the sidelines of the high-level United Nations General Assembly session.

Wright said India has a rapidly growing energy demand because of increasing prosperity and opportunity among its people. “I’m a huge fan of India; we love India. We look forward to more energy trade, more interactions back and forth with India,” he said. Wright was responding to a question by PTI on recent comments by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on expanding energy trade with Washington, and that India’s energy security goals will have a high element of US involvement.