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Obama tells Manmohan he wants to deepen India-US ties

By IANS,

New Delhi: US President Barack Obama is committed to broadening and deepening relations with India, according to a letter from him given Thursday to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

US Undersecretary of State William Burns handed over the communication from Obama to the prime minister.

“I conveyed a personal message from President Obama which underscores his commitment to broadening and deepening relations between India and the US,” Burns told reporters later.

“The US views India as one of our key global partners in the 21st century. We can accomplish a lot together in the days to come,” he added.

Earlier in Washington, the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, disclosed that Burns was carrying a letter from the president for Manmohan Singh.

“It’s a private letter,” said Holbrooke, declining to disclose the contents. “But the important thing is that the number three person in the Department of State has gone to India … immediately after the (Indian parliamentary) election,” he said.

“And without getting into Indian politics, all I can say is that all of us – Secretary (of State) Hillary Clinton, Bill Burns, myself, President Obama – everyone looks forward to working with the newly elected Indian government.”