US President Barack Obama's national security adviser James Jones, a close friend of India, has stepped down and would be replaced by his deputy Tom Donilon.
Announcing Gen. (retd) Jones’ resignation, Mr Obama said on Friday night that "the American people owe Jim an unbelievable debt of gratitude for a lifetime of service."
"... Jim has always been a steady voice in Situation Room sessions, daily briefings and with meetings with foreign leaders, also representing our country abroad with allies and partners in every region of the world," he said at the Rose Garden of the White House with Jones and Donilon standing by his sides.
Jones, considered close to India, recently met several top Indian leaders and officials, including defence minister A.K. Antony, national security adviser Shivshankar Menon and foreign secretary Nirupama Rao.
During Jones' tenure, the US "reset" relations with Russia and signed a historic new Start treaty on arms reduction, Obama said.
"And after years of drift, we have built a broad international coalition to hold Iran accountable and applied unprecedented pressure through tough new sanctions," he said.
"We have renewed the push for peace in West Asia, charted a course to secure vulnerable nuclear materials within four years, and reestablished our leadership in the Pacific Rim, while taking the lead in forging a response at the global level to the economic crisis," Mr Obama said.
About Donilon, the US President said he has a wealth of experience that will serve him well in this new assignment. "He has served three Presidents and been immersed in our national security for decades," he said.
"We have some huge challenges ahead. We remain a nation at war, and we will not rest in our efforts to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al Qaeda. And above all, we are committed to forging the kind of American leadership that can shape the world in the 21st century," Mr Obama said.