Obama most likely to visit India later this year: Blake

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Feb 20 (PTI) President Barack Obama is "most
likely" to visit India, which he considers an "indispensable"
partner of the US, later this year, a top official of the
Administration has said.
India is on top of the agenda of the Obama
Administration, which is reflected in the very fact that the
President invited Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his
presidency's first State Visit in November last year,
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia,
Robert Blake, said.
"President Obama has further underscored the importance
of India to the United States by promising to make a
reciprocal visit to India, most likely later this year," Blake
said addressing the Chicago Council on Global Affairs
on Friday.
However, he did not announce any dates for the visit.
Blake reminded the audience that the US President
considers India an indispensable partner of the US. "Few
relationships around the world matter more to our collective
future, or hold greater promise for constructive action on the
challenges that matter most to all of us, than the partnership
between the United States and India."
"That doesn't mean that we will always agree, because we
won't. But together we can build on the solid foundation that
already exists, an even stronger partnership that serves not
only the interests of our two countries, but of the rest of
the international community," he said. (More) PTI