Strategic Dialogue a milestone in Indo-US relationship: Roemer

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Jun 3 (PTI) The Indo-US Strategic Dialogue
being held in Washington this week is a milestone in the
relationship of the two largest democracies of the world, the
US Ambassador to India Tim Roemer has said.
"This week is another milestone in the US-India strategic
relationship that has grown in leaps and bounds in the past 10
years," Roemer said in his address to the US India Business
Council (USIBC).
India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are co-chairing the first
Cabinet-level Indo-US Strategic Dialogue; which according to
top US officials would set the pace for the long-term
strategic relationship between the two countries.
"The US-India Strategic Dialogue is a series of high
level meetings and events culminating in the June 3 Plenary
Session between Secretary Clinton and External Affairs
Minister Krishna.
It will highlight the progress in our partnership and
identify new areas for collaboration," Roemer said.
"The future is bright and the sky is the limit for the
US-India strategic relationship.
The US Mission in India is ready to work closely with all
of you to take advantage of the limitless opportunities that
arise everyday in India," the Ambassador said.
Roemer strongly refuted reports that India has not been a
priority for Obama Administration.
In fact, he argued that there have been an incredible
amount of positive stories this past year as the US-India
bilateral relationship is now one of the good news stories of
the day.
"Actually, it is the good news story of the decade.
Perhaps that was on President Obama's mind when he referred to
it as the "indispensable partnership of the 21st century," he
noted.
In the past 12 months, he said the two countries have
announced nuclear energy generation parks for American
companies to build nuclear reactors in Gujarat and Andhra
Pradesh and they have agreed on end-use monitoring language,
paving the way for increased defense sales such as the ones
made for maritime patrol and transport aircraft.
"We've hosted several trade missions resulting in
potential deals worth millions of dollars including a possible
deal by a small Maryland based company to sell its automatic
weather observing system to small airports and airstrips in
India. PTI