US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would make a trip to India early next month ahead of the US-India Strategic Dialogue in Washington co-chaired by her and Indian Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna.
The surprise announcement Wednesday of Clinton’s decision to visit India May 7-8 after the fourth round of US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing on May 3-4 was seen as an attempt to iron out differences over potentially contentious issues like Iran before the June 13 dialogue. The official announcement by State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland hinted as much saying she looked forward to the Washington dialogue and will meet with Indian government officials in New Delhi to review progress in the strategic partnership. The announcement, and timing, of the visit cane as a surprise, as Clinton was in any case scheduled to engage Krishna in Washington just five weeks later. A meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also on the cards.
The Clinton visit is also considered significant as it comes just after her high-level talks in China and ahead of the crucial mid-May NATO summit in Chicago focused on Afghanistan, where the constructive role played by India is well recognised in Washington. Clinton, who will visit Bangladesh before reaching New Delhi, will stop over in Kolkata May 7 and meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee “and other civil society organization representatives.” There were also reports that she might visit Pakistan after the Chiba trip to smoothen the embittered relationship with Islamabad, but India was not on the cards. However, Clinton is not visiting Pakistan this time. The announcement also led to speculation that Clinton, who has played a key role in nurturing India-US relations over the last two decades, was planning the Delhi trip as a farewell visit to India since she has indicated she would not take up the same job in the next Obama administration. Besides Clinton, several other top US leaders are expected to visit India in the next few months. Media reports said that Defence Secretary Leon Panetta may visit India in early June for talks with his counterpart A. K. Antony.
US, India to sign $8 billion defence deals: NEW DEHLI: US companies are poised to sign defence deals totalling $8 billion with India, U.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell said on Friday at her first public speech since arriving in New Delhi this month. Powell did not specify which companies she was talking about or when the deals would be signed, but embassy officials said she was referring to negotiations that include about a dozen Apache helicopters along with engines for Indian jets. “We are poised to sign an additional $8 billion in direct commercial and foreign military sales,” Powell said. “As we share more common equipment, our bilateral defence ties will become stronger.” India is the world’s largest arms importer and plans to spend close to about $100 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade its largely Soviet-era equipment. U.S. companies including Boeing Co, Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co are some of the contractors looking to grab a share of India’s planned military spending. Industrial conglomerate Honeywell International Inc. is offering engines for the Indian Airforce’s Jaguar fighter aircraft. Powell said improving bilateral trade and investment was her main objective as ambassador, mentioning U.S. concerns about tariff and non-tariff barriers and a new retroactive tax law as obstacles in the relationship. INP
As usual, The Witch will spew Poisonous & Fiery speeches with a dab of threat against Pakistan during her trip to Delhi just to appease her Indians Buddies!
You are right, USA makes appeasing statements ONLY to grab commercial deals worth Billions of Dollers. 'Dialogue' is desinated as 'Strategic Partership' whereas their is nothing strategic in the dialogue. Neither India is given advanced technology nor advanced weapons. They withhold certain technologies, that is why India did not go for supply of 126 Fighter plane worth $10-20 Billion from USA. They want to check our shit after supplying apples. Had USA been true friend of India, it could have supported membership of UNSC for India without any reservations. So, my Pakistani brothers should not read too much in terms like 'Strategic Partnership' etc.. USA is no friend of any country in this world except NATO group, but only an opportunist.
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