US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal today called on Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh during which Singh stressed the need for officials on both sides to expeditiously resolve outstanding issues in a bid to focus on substantive and strategic aspects of Indo-US partnership.
On her part, Biswal conveyed US government's message that ties between the two countries were "important" and both should move forward putting behind their "differences" over the Khobragade episode.
Ahead of Biswal's departure from Washington, State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki had said US Secretary of State John Kerry was sending with her a message that the "relationship is important".
Official sources said in the meeting Singh underlined the need for resolve outstanding issues so that both sides can focus their energies on substantive and strategic issues that underpin the vital partnership.
Besides meeting Singh, Biswal held detailed discussions on India-US relations with her counterpart Vikram Doraiswami, the Joint Secretary for the Americas in the Ministry of External Affairs.
The sources said the two sides discussed the current state of the bilateral relationship, and considered measures to achieve progress in resolving to mutual satisfaction issues that have emerged on either side in recent months.
They said both sides reaffirmed the priority attached to the India-US strategic partnership, and discussed ways in which existing dialogue mechanisms could be energised to generate fresh momentum over the next few months.
Particular mention was made of the upcoming calendar of visits, including the visit next week of US Energy Secretary Ernest J Moniz for the bilateral Energy Dialogue.
The arrest of senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade on December 12 on visa fraud charges had triggered a row between the two countries with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats among other steps.
Khobragade was indicted on visa fraud and making false statements by a US grand jury. She returned to India after she was asked to leave the US by the State Department.
Biswal also called on Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari.
Yesterday, Biswal had arrived in Bangalore where she met government and business leaders and discussed ways to foster innovation, increase high-tech and engineering engagement and strengthen US-India economic ties.
