NEW DELHI: The signals from both India and the U.S. are loud and clear—engagement in every sector, and fast. Pushing back the slackness that had crept into the important strategic relationship over the last few years, the new Indian government signaled its keenness to "move forward as early as possible" to boost ties with the U.S.
The U.S. too gave clear signals before India's general elections, which gave a thumping mandate to the Narendra Modi-led BJP, that it is "very keen to move forward and get the relationship back on track", said sources.
As part of establishing contact, the U.S. points person for South and Central Asia, Nisha Biswal, was in India and met senior Indian officials.
Biswal, who met Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, and other senior officials, including joint secretaries Vikram Doraiswami and Ajay Bisaria, conveyed that the "U.S. is extremely keen to engage with the new government of India, and will be guided by the pace and direction the new government takes… All doors are open to engage, and whatever areas that India is willing to move on they are okay with," the source added.
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj "made it clear" that they want to move forward on the relationship "as early as possible". Modi has also accepted an invite from U.S. President Barack Obama for a bilateral summit in Washington in September.
