Thaindian News

By Arun Kumar
Washington, June 2 (IANS) India and the United States are set to begin their strategic dialogue here with the US saying the talks elevate “India to the rank of our most important global partners” and Washington’s ties with China and Pakistan would not be at the expense of India.

The strategic dialogue “elevates India to the rank of our most important global partners,” US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns said, suggesting the talks “are meant to deepen habits of collaboration and drive away lingering doubts.”

He was speaking Tuesday at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington think tank, on “India’s Rise and the Promise of US-Indian Partnership.”

The strategic dialogue would formally open Thursday with Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading the talks aimed at broadening cooperation in areas ranging from climate change, education, poverty, counter-terrorism and trade.

The high-powered Indian delegation includes Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Minister of State for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan.

Krishna would Wednesday outline his vision of the India-US relationship with an address at the India Business Council focusing on the theme of emerging opportunities in the field of innovation and knowledge industries.

Ahead of the Krishna-Clinton talks, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and William Burns are to hold a foreign policy dialogue at the State Department, with officials saying it would set the tone for Thursday’s dialogue.

“Never has there been a moment when India and America mattered more to each other,” said Burns in his address Tuesday. “Never has there been a moment when the partnership between India and America mattered more to the rest of the globe.”

Burns acknowledged that “some in India do worry today that the United States seeks to ‘re-hyphenate’ relations with India…that we see India mainly through the prism of preoccupations in Afghanistan and Pakistan…that we won’t push Pakistan hard enough on terrorists who kill and threaten Indians…that we will hurry toward the exit in Afghanistan and leave India holding the strategic pieces”.

“Some in India worry that the new administration is tempted by visions of a ‘G-2′ world…that we’ve ‘downgraded’ India because we see Asia exclusively through the lens of an emerging China, with India’s role secondary,” Burns said.

At pains again to counter perceptions that President Barack Obama was not as warm towards India as his predecessor George Bush was, Burns noted that a third of the US cabinet has visited India since Obama took office almost a year-and-a-half ago and that Obama himself intends to visit this year.

Noting “India and the United States have both suffered devastating terrorist attacks, with the scars of 9/11 and 26/11 still fresh in both our societies,” Burns said: “Since the horrific assault on Mumbai in November 2008, US-Indian cooperation in counter-terrorism has deepened rapidly, in the interests of both our countries.”

Burns also sought to ease India’s concerns over Afghanistan, saying Washington valued India’s role there and saw its involvement as a “key part of that country’s future success.”