National security advisers of India, US meet

Indian National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and his US counterpart Susan Rice met here and reviewed the US-India strategic partnership ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US in late September.

During the course of the meeting Tuesday, Rice reaffirmed the US commitment to further expand and strengthen bilateral relations, including economic and commercial ties, a White House press statement said.

The two also exchanged ideas on enhancing security cooperation between the two countries, reviewed the progress on civil nuclear and clean energy cooperation and explored greater collaboration on climate change.

Rice and Menon also discussed India's continued support for a stable, secure, and prosperous Afghanistan, according to the White House statement.

Rice said US President Barack Obama was looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Singh to the White House Sep 27.

Singh will be in the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

The meeting between the two leaders will highlight India's role in regional security and stability and provide an opportunity for the two to chart a course toward enhanced trade, investment, and development cooperation between the US and India, the statement said.

The two leaders met earlier when Manmohan Singh visited Washington in 2009 and Obama visited India in 2010.