NEW DELHI: Signalling growing proximity between India and the US, New Delhi will be taking up the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan with Washington when US Secretary of State John Kerry visits India for the 2nd Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.
Kerry is on a visit to South Asia and will be stopping over at Dhaka before landing in New Delhi on August 30. Kerry will not be going to Islamabad, indicating the de-hyphenation of India and Pakistan in the US foreign policy. Kerry will be accompanied by US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker. They will hold a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Commerce and Industry Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman.
“Anything which is of strategic importance for both the countries will obviously figure. Very substantive discussions on all aspects of bilateral relationship, important regional issues and global developments (are on the agenda),” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said when asked if the current situation in Kashmir and the terrorism emanating from Pakistan would figure during the talks.
Kerry’s visit comes at a time when both India and the US are worried about extremists gaining ground in Bangladesh.