India, US review implementation of decisions taken

India and the US on Wednesday held Foreign Office Consultations during which the entire range of bilateral ties was discussed and a review held of the implementation of the decisions taken at the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama in January.

Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman held the Foreign Office Consultations, during which they also discussed regional issues, including relief and rescue operations in Nepal.

Sherman also called on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, said an external affairs ministry statement.

On the sidelines of the Foreign Office Consultations, the India-US Dialogue on Africa was held between delegations led by Vinay Kumar, joint secretary for South and East Africa under the ministry of external affairs, and Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US assistant secretary of state for African affairs.

The Dialogue on West Asia was held between delegations led by Sandeep Kumar, joint secretary for West Asia and North Africa, and Anne Patterson, US assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, the statement said.

Sherman, addressing a talk in the evening at the University of Chicago Center, said the Foreign Office Consultations were a preparatory for the strategic and commercial dialogue to be held between both sides later in the year.

During the summer dialogue both sides would review projects that have been completed, the business agreements done, counter-terrorism steps, review regional activities, the efforts underway to improve joint capabilities around the world, she said.

The cooperation will be at all levels, she said adding "We are going to be and are incredibly strong partners".