White House to have India Desk at National Security Council
Lalit K Jha/ PTI / Washington Jul 02, 2009, 12:00 IST
Implementing the commitment of US President Barack Obama to deepen Indo-US strategic ties, the White House has carved out a separate India Desk at its National Security Council (NSC).
India is only the second country after Russia to be handled separately by a Senior Director at the National Security Council, thus indicating the significance being attached to New Delhi by the Obama Administration, which is keen to take the ties between the two nations to a new level.
"We have recently done a slight restructuring of the National Security Council whereby Donald Camp has been appointed to be the Senior Director exclusively for India, because we want to put focus on that relationship," NSC spokesman Mike Hammer said.
"This is rather unusual," he added.
"It reflects our commitment to try and develop a strategic partnership that is going to be in the interest of both countries. That simply reflects our commitment and interests in strengthening what we already feel is a good relationship that can be furthered deepened," Hammer said.
The spokesman said Russia is the only other country which has an exclusive Senior Director at the NSC. "That is the only other example we have," he added.
"This is coming out of the President's interest based on a very good relationship he is developing with Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh. And of course, the President very much looks forward to welcome him at the White House in the Fall," Hammer said.
On behalf of Obama, National Security Advisor General James Jones had invited Singh to visit White House this fall; which has been accepted by the Prime Minister. This visit is separate from that of the September visit of the Prime Minister to attend the G-20 Summit in Pittsburg.
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