Obama's India visit 'watershed' movement in bilateral ties: US

Describing President Barack Obama's recent India visit as a "watershed" moment in bilateral ties, a top US diplomat has said the two countries have taken concrete initiatives to develop their strategic partnership and are working together to advance global peace and security.

"I believe President Obama's recently concluded India trip would be considered another watershed, when the United States and India embarked for the first time on concrete initiatives to develop our global strategic partnership," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake told 'The Heritage Foundation', a Washington-based think tank.

The challenge is now to define the agenda for the two governments going forward, capitalise what the two countries have achieved and meet the ambitions vision that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Obama laid out, he said.

"The President's trip to India turned out to be one of the most successful trips ever taken by a US President to South Asia," Blake said, adding that the visit produced a number of significant milestones that perhaps did not get much attention as they deserved amidst Obama's endorsement of India for a permanent UNSC seat and the First Lady's 'Bhangra' dance.

"Many of these provided concrete examples about the United States and India increasingly working together to advance global peace, development and security," he said.

During Obama's November trip, Indian government positioned itself to take a leading role in achieving global stability, Blake said.

He said the US would remove Indian companies from the export control and entities list as New Delhi aligns itself with global standards.

The American business community welcomed these steps as they provide new opportunities for them in defence and civil space areas, he said.

The removal of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from the Commerce Department's entities list would bring in a new era of space cooperation and no longer would treat India's space programme as a target, Blake said.

"Rather we would become a very close partner. The possibilities of cooperation between India and the United States in space to advance scientific knowledge, human welfare are without boundaries and limits," he said.

The "full spectrum" of collaboration between the two countries "promises to provide mutually benefit growth and innovation for the people of India and the United States and deliver pioneering solutions and opportunities for millions of others around the world," he said.