NSAs of India, US meet to lay ground for Obama visit

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) In the first preparatory
meeting for the November visit of President Barack Obama,
India and the US on Wednesday discussed ways to push their
ties to match the potential and expectations of the two
countries.
During the meeting between National Security Adviser
Shivshankar Menon and his US counterpart James Jones here, the
two sides are also understood to have exchanged views on the
situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the context of
terrorism emanating from there.
Jones also called on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh. He is expected to meet Defence Minister A K Antony and
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday before winding up his
two-day visit.
Menon and Jones discussed ways to take their relations
further in a wide range of areas including fight against
terror, defence, security, trade, science and technology,
agriculture and education.
Relations between the two countries have been growing in
a wide range of issues. However, there are still some issues
like US restrictions on dual-use items which India wants to be
eased.
The meeting was a preparatory one for the visit of Obama
to India in November. Both sides are working to ensure
deliverables from Obama's first trip here as President.
"Broadly speaking, relations between the United States
and India have never been better, and are likely to continue
on their very promising trajectory -- both in the near future
and over the long-term," Assistant Secretary of State for
South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, said recently.
"That's why President Obama has called India an
'indispensable partner' and said that 'our relations with
India will be one of the defining partnerships for the United
States in the 21st century'," he said.
The two countries recently held their first Strategic
Dialogue.
In the run up to Obama's visit, Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton and Under Secretary of State for Political
Affairs William Burns are also expected to travel here over
the next three months. PTI AKK
RBT