New Delhi
16 May 2010
The first-ever India-US strategic dialogue at the ministerial level, to be held in
Washington in the first week of June, is expected to be significant in more ways than
one, coming as it will after the US held similar dialogues with Pakistan and China.
Direct Indian access to David Coleman Headley, a co-conspirator in the 26 November
2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai; Afghanistan; Pakistan; China; Iran; matters related to
nuclear safety and working out the nitty-gritty of the Manmohan Singh -- Barack Obama
Knowledge Initiative to increase academic linkages and junior faculty development
programmes between the American and Indian universities will top the dialogue agenda.
The decision to hold India-US strategic dialogue that meets once annually in alternate
capitals was taken during the visit here by US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in July
2009. To be chaired by external affairs minister SM Krishna and Ms Clinton, the dialogue
will focus on a wide range of bilateral, global, and regional issues of shared interest and
common concern, continuing programmes currently under implementation and taking
mutually beneficial initiatives that complement Indian and US development, security and
economic interests.
Union minister of state of science and technology Prithviraj Chavan has said in Mumbai
that a high-power Indian delegation will accompany Mr Krishna to Washington. "[The
delegation] consisting of five to six union ministers from India will meet a delegation of
US cabinet officers led by secretary of state Hillary Clinton for the furtherance of
strategic dialogue on the deal that was signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
President Barack Obama," Mr Chavan said, addressing scientists and technologists at
the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai on Saturday. The presence of several
Indian ministers for talks in the US would be a rare occasion.
Washington has assured new Delhi that Indian investigators would get access to
Headley to unravel the entire conspiracy of the Mumbai attacks but the American
process, which is different from India's, is taking time. In April, Indian solicitor general
Gopal Subramaniam had travelled to the US to discuss legal modalities. The American
legal system was different than that of India and New Delhi wants to question Headley in
a manner that his statement would be acceptable in a court of law here.
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