M A I N   N E W S

NASA chief to discuss ‘moon mission’
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 27
The quality of India-US engagement is undergoing a never-before qualitative upgradation, which is quite clear from an upcoming chain of high-profile visits from American officials to India.

National Aeronautical Space Agency (NASA) chief Mike Griffin is coming to India on May 8 and 9 — his maiden official visit to this country — to discuss technical details of American payload on Chandrayaan I — India’’s ambitious Moon Mission to be launched 2007-08.

Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher (South Asia), who has replaced Christina Rocca on the State Department’s hot seat, is coming here on May 3 via Kathmandu. Mr Boucher is coming primarily to discuss India-US bilateral relations with specific focus on Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation deal.

But he will also be conducting with the Indian officials a thorough review of the situation in the region, with specific focus on Nepal and Sri Lanka. India-Pakistan Composite Dialogue will also come up for a deep focus during Mr Boucher’s talks with the Indian officials.

Admiral Gary Roguehead, Commander of the Pacific Command, is coming here next week while General Peter Pace, Chairman of Joint Chief of Staff Committee, is coming for substantive discussions early June. He was initially slated to come next month.