By IANS,
New Delhi: After winning over Mumbai with her charm, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in New Delhi Sunday afternoon for talks with Indian government leaders to launch what she called a third phase in the India-US strategic partnership.
She was received at the airport by India’s Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar and Gayatri Kumar, joint secretary in charge of the Americas in the external affairs ministry.
A slew of agreements, including pacts on an end-use monitoring agreement that will spur high-end arms sales between them and another pact on space launches, are expected to be signed Monday. India is also likely to announce two sites for US nuclear reactors during Clinton’s visit.
Soon after her arrival, Clinton headed to Gurgaon to visit ITC Green Centre Building that showcases environment-friendly practices in India. She will speak here about climate change – an important issue that will also figure in her discussions with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Monday.
From Gurgaon, she goes to visit the National Agriculture Science Centre in Delhi where she will speak about cooperation between India and the US in the field of agriculture.
The political business will start with Clinton’s call on the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chair and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the evening.
Before political talks Monday, Clinton goes to Delhi University – a trip aimed at giving the US’ chief diplomat an insight into the thinking of young India. Over 90,000 Indian students study in the US.
Clinton will call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday afternoon and discuss with him a host of bilateral, regional and global issues.
Clinton will hold delegation-level talks with Krishna that will focus on building multi-pronged strategic dialogue between the two countries that will pave the way for starting phase III in strategic partnership between them.
Besides civil nuclear cooperation, the two sides are expected to discuss economic and defence ties and invigorating cooperation in fields of clean energy, agriculture, science and education.
The Mumbai attacks and its aftermath, the situation in Afghanistan-Pakistan (AfPak) region and India’s likely role in it will also figure in the discussions.