Reflecting the breadth and depth of the friendship between the world’s two largest democracies, the Indian Foreign Secretary, Mr Ranjan Mathai, have held talks with his US counterparts here on a wide range of issues related to bilateral and multilateral agenda.
“The conversations included virtually every topic on the bilateral and multilateral agenda with India,” the State Department spokesperson, Ms Victoria Nuland, told reporters at her daily news conference, a day after Mr Mathai held meetings which lasted for more than four hours.
The issues discussed included joint cooperation to combat terrorism and violent extremism, defence cooperation, important civil nuclear cooperation, shared energy security interests, regional and economic integration along the New Silk Road, and joint interests in Africa, East Asia and West Asia.
“We were pleased to host Indian Foreign Secretary Mathai. He was here for a full day of extremely comprehensive talks. The Secretary dropped by on Deputy Secretary Burns’ meetings with him. He also had more than four hours in an inter-agency session led by Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman,” she said.
The Indian official also had meetings with Under Secretary Mr Hormats, Under Secretary Ms Otero, special envoy for strategic stability and missile defence, Ms Ellen Tauscher, among others.
“We look forward to an ambitious and productive bilateral agenda for 2012, including the US-India Strategic Dialogue and continuing meetings of the CEO Forum, Higher Education Summit, and Homeland Security Dialogue, among other cabinet-level engagements,” a State Department official said.
Responding to questions, Ms Nuland said that the subject of Iran and working together to reduce India’s dependence on Iranian oil also came up during the talks.
"We are working well through these issues, and we will continue to have those conversations,'' she said.