PM’s visit crucial to Indo-US ties: Meera Shankar

ANTICIPATED VISIT: Indian Ambassador to US, Meera Shankar presents her credentials to President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House. Manmohan Singh will be Barack Obama's first state guest when he visits on November 23. File photo

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s anticipated state visit to the US will be an opportunity to “consolidate” achievements in Indo-US partnership and in setting “new directions” in bilateral relationship, said Indian Ambassador to US Meera Shankar.

Mr. Singh will arrive here on November 23 as the first state guest of President Barack Obama.

“This will be an opportunity for us to consolidate all that we have achieved in the recent past and turn our progress into a springboard for deepening our cooperation and setting new directions in our relationship,” said the diplomat.

Economic ties are high on the priorities of the two countries, even as they strengthen cooperation in security, counter-terrorism and defence, the diplomat said in her address to the Petersen Institute on India’s Role in the World Economy and the future of India-US relations.

Besides discussing government initiatives, the Indian Prime Minister and the US President will meet the reconstituted CEO’s Forum and brief them on how the two countries can expand their economic cooperation.

“We will also increase our emphasis on cooperation in clean and renewable energy, education, science and technology and agriculture. The agenda reflects the extraordinary breadth of our bilateral engagement and the vision of cooperation of our two leaders,” the ambassador said.