Committed to US-India relations, says US Asst Secretary of State Biswal

New Delhi: The US on Monday said it wants to partner with the Narendra Modi government in meeting the hopes and aspirations of Indians who have given the government a resounding mandate even as the two sides were working closely to finalise a date for a meeting between Modi and American President Barack Obama. [caption id=“attachment_1562855” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal.[/caption] This was conveyed by US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal during her meetings with senior foreign Ministry officials including Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh. “We are having some wonderful meetings and consultations with Government of India. We are committed to US-India relationship. This is an opportunity for us to hear the priorities and the opportunities that the new government is seeking in terms of their desire for this relationship,” she told reporters. Biswal said the US President has invited Modi for a meeting and that the two governments are working out mutually convenient dates for the meet. Obama was among the first foreign leaders to call up Modi and congratulate him on his “emphatic election victory” and said the largest democracy in the world has given a “decisive mandate”. During the call, Obama had invited Modi to visit the US. The call was the first high-level contact between Modi and the US leadership ever since 2005 when the Gujarat chief minister had been denied a US visa over the 2002 riots in the state. Biswal held talks with her Indian counterpart, the Joint Secretary in-charge of America division in MEA Vikarm Doraiswami. Assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, Biswal was accompanied by United State’s interim Ambassador to India, Kathleen Stephens, who arrived here a few days ago. Stressing that US is committed to US-India relationship, Biswal said Modi government has received a resounding mandate and people have voted with hope and aspirations and “US wants to partner with India in meeting those hopes and aspirations.” “We look forward to working together in the months and the years ahead. So this is an opportunity for us to hear from the government on their agenda and their priorities,” she said. Biswal is expected to meet Union Minister Prakash Javadekar before leaving for the United States tonight. PTI