Perhaps to quash the persistent criticism that his administration is not as gung-ho about the US-India relationship as was his predecessor W Bush, President Obama will attend and deliver remarks at Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's reception June 3 at the State Department, in honor of the Indian delegation at the US-India Strategic Dialogue.
The White House announced on Friday that "the president's strong support of the strategic dialogue and of this inaugural meeting reflects his commitment to furthering a strategic partnership with India, as we seek to address global challenges".
Earlier, Obama had called Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to discuss the upcoming US-India Strategic Dialogue, the White House said.
It noted that "the two leaders agreed that the dialogue is an important milestone in the development of the US-India strategic partnership and look forward to its results."
"President Obama an Prime Minister Singh also expressed their hope that the Dialogue will initiative a regular exchange of ideas and discussion between their governments and both pledged their support toward that end," the White House said.
President Obama also expressed his condolences about the recent tragic airline accident and recent train attack in India, the release said.
On Thursday, Obama's first National Security Strategy, sent up to the US Congress, reaffirmed that the US was building a strategic partnership with India and included India among the "21st century influencers".
The 52-page document also lauded India's "responsible advancement" and held it up as a template to developing nations.
The NSS, which compared India favorably with China, said, "We value India's growing leadership on a wide array of global issues, through groups such as G-20, and will seek to work with India to promote stability in South Asia and elsewhere in the world."
Both Clinton and Obama's National Security Adviser Retd. General Jim Jones, in separate appearances at the Brookings Institution and the Foreign Press Center respectively, acknowledged India as one of the 'Big Three' along with Russia and China with whom US wants to cultivate relations as strategic partners, who can be called upon to help Washington address global challenges.
Clinton in her remarks, said, "I happen to be a big believer. I think that deepening our engagement with key countries like Russia, China, India and others gives us a better understanding and also to our counterparts."
On the Strategic Dialogue, Clinton, who will co-chair with Indian's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, said, this is "the first time that we've had a ministerial strategic dialogue."
Jones, echoing Clinton's sentiments about developing strong alliances said, "With India, our growing relationship will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century."
