M A I N   N E W S

India, US chalk out agenda for Modi-Obama summit
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 10
India and the United States today began doing the ground-work for the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama in Washington in September.

Visiting US Deputy Secretary of state William Burns, the highest level US official to visit India after the new government assumed office here, held talks with Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh. They discussed the deliverables from the much-anticipated summit between the two leaders.

Official sources said the two officials also discussed the agenda for the strategic dialogue to be held between the two countries this month-end. “The discussions centred on all aspects of our bilateral relations, particularly economic engagement. The two diplomats also exchanged views on a variety of regional and international issues, including the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan,” sources added.

The strategic dialogue between the two sides will be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Secretary of State John Kerry. The dialogue was earlier scheduled to be held in Washington but indications are that it would now take place in New Delhi.

Bilateral talks

• Visiting US Deputy Secretary of state William Burns held talks with Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh. They discussed the deliverables from the much-anticipated summit between the two leaders
• Official sources said the two officials also discussed the agenda for the strategic dialogue to be held between the two countries this month-end. “The discussions centred on all aspects of our bilateral relations, particularly economic engagement,” sources said
• The strategic dialogue between the two sides will be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Secretary of State John Kerry. The dialogue was earlier scheduled to be held in Washington but indications are that it would now take place in New Delhi