(NSI News Source Info) LONDON - April 2, 2009: Indian PM Manmohan Singh
is set to meet US President Barack Obama for key talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in London, officials say.
They say the focus of Thursday's talks will be on the president's new Afghan strategy and on ways of curbing terrorism in the South Asia region.
The meeting will be attended by large teams of officials from both sides. (The two sides say they want to build on warm relations)
Mr Singh is only holding one-to-one meetings with the president and the British PM at the summit.
Officials insist that this is because of time constraints and not because Mr Singh's poor health has meant that he has had to pursue a less rigorous schedule.
The PM has been recovering from heart by-pass surgery earlier this year.
Goodwill
In October the US Congress ended India's three-decade-long nuclear isolation with an overwhelming Senate vote in favour of a civilian nuclear agreement with Delhi and officials say that Thursday's meeting will build on the goodwill that emanated from that.
The deal enabled US companies to sell nuclear reactors, fuel and technology to India after a ban of more than three decades on such trade.
It also marked a major shift in US foreign policy towards a country where relations in the past have been marked by mutual distrust.
President Obama and Prime Minister Singh are also expected to discuss the possibility of greater Indian involvement in Afghanistan, following the announcement last week by the US leader of a new strategy for the country in which he placed great emphasis on "fighting a common enemy".
The two leaders will be accompanied by large delegations.
The Indian team is said to include National Security Adviser MK Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
The American team comprises Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Adviser Gen James L Jones and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
is set to meet US President Barack Obama for key talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in London, officials say.
They say the focus of Thursday's talks will be on the president's new Afghan strategy and on ways of curbing terrorism in the South Asia region.
The meeting will be attended by large teams of officials from both sides. (The two sides say they want to build on warm relations)
Mr Singh is only holding one-to-one meetings with the president and the British PM at the summit.
Officials insist that this is because of time constraints and not because Mr Singh's poor health has meant that he has had to pursue a less rigorous schedule.
The PM has been recovering from heart by-pass surgery earlier this year.
Goodwill
In October the US Congress ended India's three-decade-long nuclear isolation with an overwhelming Senate vote in favour of a civilian nuclear agreement with Delhi and officials say that Thursday's meeting will build on the goodwill that emanated from that.
The deal enabled US companies to sell nuclear reactors, fuel and technology to India after a ban of more than three decades on such trade.
It also marked a major shift in US foreign policy towards a country where relations in the past have been marked by mutual distrust.
President Obama and Prime Minister Singh are also expected to discuss the possibility of greater Indian involvement in Afghanistan, following the announcement last week by the US leader of a new strategy for the country in which he placed great emphasis on "fighting a common enemy".
The two leaders will be accompanied by large delegations.
The Indian team is said to include National Security Adviser MK Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
The American team comprises Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Adviser Gen James L Jones and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. 
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