Dialogue touches on technology, trade and Iran nuclear issue

Beijing - Washington is hosting the first-ever strategic dialogue between the United States and India in hopes of forging stronger ties, a move observers say may put more pressure on China.

It is expected that cooperation on counter-terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, India's role in Afghanistan, South Asian relations, science and technology will be discussed during the meeting.

"(The dialogue) elevates India to the rank of our most important global partners, allowing us to discuss and coordinate policies of global importance, including on the future shape of the international economic system and on what we can do together to promote human development in other parts of the world," William Burns, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, said on Tuesday as the dialogue began.

The current US administration "has been, and will remain, deeply committed to supporting India's rise and to building the strongest possible partnership between us," Burns said.

As the first of its kind, the dialogue is thought to be laying the foundation for US President Barack Obama's visit to India later this year, while international observers fear hopes for the talk may be too high as the two nations still haven't formed a close bond yet.

"The two sides are still far away from a common understanding on most issues," the Financial Times said.

India, as a major power in Asia, has long placed its relationship with the US at its heart especially in regards to its rising regional influence, said Hu Shisheng, a scholar of South Asia studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

Hu said New Dehli hopes to see more dedication to practical fields such as nuclear cooperation and technology transfer, while Washington wants its partner to further open its market and show continual support on the Iranian nuclear issue.

"But the dialogue will be more ceremonious than effective. The US has already held many such dialogues with China and Pakistan, and now India needs to verify its importance to the US through the same channel," Hu said.

Washington just hosted a second round of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue with Beijing last month, while earlier in March Pakistan and the US completed their fourth round of strategic dialogue, one that was upgraded to ministerial level last year.

Obama's joint statement during a visit to Beijing last November, which said the US and China would work together to promote peace, stability and development in South Asia, had "rankled New Delhi", said the Times of India.

But the American Thinker said with the US "rebuffed on all major points" during its talks with Beijing in May, the dialogue with India is an opportunity to strengthen ties with nations that share common security interests, including "concern over China's rising influence".

"The US may hope to get from India what it failed to get from China, and through a strengthened cooperation with another Asian giant, pressure China more on many issues," Hu said.

CHINA DAILY

(China Daily 06/03/2010 page11)