Describing Asian economic giants India and China as "very important" global players, the Obama administration said it is engaged in intensive dialogue with the two countries, amid New Delhi's displeasure over the reference to India-Pakistan ties in a Sino-U.S. joint statement.
Taking to reporters in Washington, State Department Deputy Spokesman, Robert Wood, said India and China are two rising powers that are key to its growing relationship and that the United States would be dealing very closely with the two Asian neighbors in coming years.
Wood's comments came two days after India strongly reacted to the references to the India-Pakistan ties in a Sino-U.S. joint statement issued during President Barack Obama's recently concluded China visit and made it clear that it did not foresee any third party mediation in bilateral matters.
Meanwhile Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, left for Washington Saturday for talks with President Obama, saying India attaches "high priority" to its relations with the U.S. which is today characterized by "greater maturity, depth and convergence of interests."
In a departure statement, Singh said he looked forward to building upon this momentum during the nine-day visit that would also take him to Trinidad and Tobago for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The Indian Prime Minister would be the first foreign leader to be hosted as State Guest by the 10-month-old Obama Administration.
Singh, who will hold wide-ranging talks with Obama Tuesday, said a "sustained and dynamic" partnership between the two countries is essential to meet major global challenges of the 21st century.
Noting that the last several years have witnessed a transformation in India-U.S. relations, he said he looked forward to exchanging views with Obama on major issues such as international terrorism, climate change, global economic slowdown, the Doha Round of trade negotiations and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
The situation in Afghanistan and other regional issues are also expected to figure during his talks with the U.S. leadership, he said. Terrorism emanating from Pakistan is also expected to be high on agenda of the Singh-Obama talks.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.