With better understanding, US ready to engage Modi's India

Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit, the US says that with a better understanding of each other's systems, it's looking forward to engage with India putting behind the ups and downs in their relationship.

The US engagement with Modi has been "awesome and appreciated on both sides", said Nisha Desai Biswal, assistant secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs in a preview of Modi visit.

US was looking forward to first summit meetings between Modi and President Barack Obama Sep 29 and 30 and the two leaders establishing a personal and institutional rapport, she said. "We are looking forward to the opportunity."

Biswal said she had been a witness to the "ups and downs and trials and tribulations" in the relationship in recent past and through engagement had come out with a much better understanding of each other's systems.

Referring to the Devyani Khobragade affair that had strained relations between the two countries, she said the two sides had a much better understanding of how Indian diplomats should comport themselves in US or how to deal with issues.

On Chinese President Xi Jinping's ongoing visit to India, Biswal like other State Department spokespersons said the US wants India to have good relationships with all its friends in the region, including China.

The US "was not looking at a business engagement between the leaders", she said but certainly business issues would come up for discussion during Vice President Joe Biden's luncheon for Modi, Secretary of State John Kerry and receptions planned by business associations both in Washington and New York.

There is a strong desire on the part of the new Indian government to work through the "tough issues delaying the implementation of the civil nuclear deal, she said referring to the India's tough nuclear liability law that has stalled the landmark deal.

"There is a very strong desire by this new government, and a very strong desire by the US, to work through those tough issues and to be able to make progress," she said though there are no expectations on this front from the coming meeting.

Modi had indicated that his top most priority was "India's domestic transformation", Biswal said. The US "was deeply interested in partnering with India in that".

The US can also benefit from such a partnership given that India was a centre of innovation, she said.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)