New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) India and the US focused on expanding counter-terror cooperation and discussed UN reforms Thursday, as US National Security Adviser James Jones wrapped up his two-day trip aimed at firming up deliverables for President Barack Obama’s visit in November.
A day after talks with his Indian counterpart Shivshankar Menon that focused on the easing of high-tech exports, Jones met Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Air Chief Marshall P.V. Naik, chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Jones had also called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday.
New Delhi described the talks as ‘positive, constructive and forward looking’.
During the visit, the two sides reviewed the status of the strategic partnership between India and the US, the prime minister’s office (PMO) said in a statement Thursday.
They discussed preparations for the state visit of Obama to India later this year, the PMO said.
Apart from bilateral relations, regional and global issues, including the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, international terrorism, the global governance architecture and emerging threats to international security were also discussed, the PMO said.
Jones arrived in India Tuesday night for two days of talks, which are part of the institutionalised dialogue mechanism between the national security advisers of India and the US.
The visit saw India making a renewed push for the easing of exports of dual use technologies, widely seen in India as a potential deliverable during Obama’s maiden visit here in November.
Two years after India and the US signed a landmark nuclear deal in October 2008, India is upset that many Indian private and public sector entities continue to face technology sanctions. The Indian side is expecting a positive movement on this issue ahead of Obama’s visit, official sources told IANS.
The Indian side conveyed its concerns over the fluid situation in Afghanistan against the backdrop of reports of Pakistan influencing a power-sharing deal with Taliban elements who are inimical to India’s interests.
