U.S. Looking To Deepen Economic Relations With India
"Those are certainly issues that we talk about. The Secretary had a very good visit to India recently for Prime Minister Modi's economic summit in Gujarat, and a variety of issues were talked about, including those," she said.
Meanwhile, former top American diplomat Nicholas Burns has said that Obama's India visit may provide a major opportunity to return to a close security and economic partnership with that country -- a priority of the last three American presidents.
The "simple but important symbolic gesture" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, may kick-start the revival, both the countries have been looking for, Burns, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, wrote in an op-ed in Boston Globe.
"The long-term trend lines are mostly positive, which gives Obama and Kerry an opening to refashion ties with this key Asian rising power," wrote Burns, who as the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs played a major role in India-U.S. civilian nuclear deal.
"The United States has a major opportunity this month to return to a close security and economic partnership with India -- a priority of the last three American presidents," he wrote.
"The new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signalled he wants to get beyond the problem-ridden last few years between Delhi and Washington by inviting President Obama to be the "chief guest" at India's elaborate Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
"This simple but important symbolic gesture may kick-start the revival both countries have been looking for," said Burns.
He wrote India and the U.S. are also drawn together by a common interest in countering terrorist and cyber threats.
"They are also focussed on a newly assertive China under Xi Jinping's leadership," he said.
READ MORE: Modi The Second Most Followed World Leader on Twitter
Indian Diplomat Atul Khare Named As Head Of A UN Department For Peacekeeping Missions
