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Clinton to Visit India for 'Wide-Ranging' Talks on Boosting Ties


U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives Friday in India, where she hopes to advance U.S.-Indian partnership with what she says will be the widest-ranging talks ever between the two countries.

Clinton said her talks with Indian leaders will cover foreign policy, health, education, the economy, climate change and energy.

A State Department spokesman, Robert Blake said the U.S. hopes to solidify a strategic partnership with India begun in 2005 with a nuclear cooperation accord.

Clinton arrives Friday in Mumbai, where she will attend a memorial for the more than 160 people killed in a terrorist assault on the city last November. She heads to New Delhi on Sunday, for meetings with senior Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi.

From India, she travels on to Thailand.

Under the 2005 nuclear cooperation accord, India agreed to open non-military aspects of its nuclear program to international inspections, clearing the way for U.S. sales of nuclear technology and fuel to India. The accord, which was given final approval by the U.S. Congress last year, also opened the prospect of a major sale to India of U.S.-built fighter planes.

The State Department said Clinton is not snubbing Pakistan by skipping India's neighbor on her regional trip. Clinton said Wednesday she will travel to Pakistan in the coming months.

Clinton arrives in Bangkok Tuesday, July 21st for talks with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

She travels on to the resort island of Phuket, where she leads the U.S. delegation to an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian nations) ministerial conference, before returning to Washington.

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