Washington: US President-elect Barack Obama on Monday nominated Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State and announced he would keep Defence Secretary Robert Gates in his current job in widely expected moves to set up his national security team.
Clinton, 61, his former rival in Democratic presidential nomination, will leave her job as the senator from New York if confirmed to become the nation's next top diplomat.
The re-appointment of Gates, 65, is designed to ensure a smooth transition takes place as the US fights two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Gates became the head of the Pentagon under President George W. Bush in December 2006.
Obama also named former Marine General James Jones to serve as national security advisor.
"In this uncertain world, the time has come for a new beginning - a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the challenges of the 21st century, and to seize the opportunities embedded in those challenges," Obama said in a statement issued by his transition team.
"To succeed, a new strategy should be pursued that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power -- military and diplomacy, intelligence and law enforcement, economy and the power of our moral example," the country's first African-American President said.
"The team that we have assembled here today is uniquely suited to do just that. They share my pragmatism about the use of power, and my sense of purpose about America's role as a leader in the world," Obama, who will be taking office as the 44th US President on January 20 next year, said.
Vice-President-elect Joe Biden said it is an "honour to be a part of this team, led by the President-elect".
"The team will see to it that America can lead the world not only by "the example of our power, but also by the power of our example," he said. "I believe we have assembled a national security team that is poised to recapture the totality of America's strength," Biden added.
The ascent of Hillary Clinton may bring some cheers in New Delhi.
The appointment, which extends a near-complete female hold over the State Department since Madeleine Albright marks a tilt in US foreign policy towards New Delhi, with Clinton being a strong votary of India and Indian-American causes, including outsourcing of jobs.
Described as 'the Democrat from Punjab' by the Obama campaign, Clinton has consistently labelled the US' partnership with India as among the most important.
Hillary began her political journey in 2000 becoming the first woman senator to represent New York after an election that marked the maiden instance of an American First Lady running for public office.
A native of Illinois like Obama, Hillary Clinton toured India thrice, including in April 1995, when she became the first US First Lady after Jackie Kennedy in 1962 to visit the country.
Her first visit was with then President Bill Clinton's and was a landmark trip to India in 2000 which laid the foundation of strong bilateral ties that continued under President George W Bush culminating in the signing of the historic Indo-US civil nuclear agreement this year.
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