Suman Guha Mozumder In Washington, DC

Stories by Suman Guha Mozumder In Washington, DC

Indo-US accord opens door for closer defence ties

Indo-US accord opens door for closer defence ties

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2009

The USIBC said that this was 'a significant step that puts decades of Cold War baggage behind the world's two largest democracy', and that in achieving 'consensus' on this 'key bilateral agreement', it held out the promise 'to bolster the US and India as reliable partners for the long future in the sensitive areas of defence and security trade'.

Stopping sex predators: Indian American honoured

Stopping sex predators: Indian American honoured

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2009

Jay Chaudhuri, general counsel and senior policy adviser to North Carolina State Treasurer Janet Cowell, has been honoured with a top award by the National Association of Attorneys General for his efforts in protecting children from online predators on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Chaudhuri received the NAAG 2009 Marvin Award at its annual convention in Colorado Springs.

How Hillary Clinton can boost Indo-US trade ties

How Hillary Clinton can boost Indo-US trade ties

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2009

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should be prepared to make 'compromises on global issues' on which the United States and India have disagreed in the past, during her maiden visit to India this week, a foreign policy expert said on Thursday.

USIBC hails India's allocation of nuke sites

USIBC hails India's allocation of nuke sites

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2009

The Indian government's identification of two 'greenfield' sites for commercial nuclear development, that will utilise US technology has been welcomed by the US-India Business Council (USIBC).

Clinton has to make some compromises: US expert

Clinton has to make some compromises: US expert

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2009

During her visit to India this week, United States' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should be prepared to make 'compromises on global issues', on which the US and India have disagreed in the past, a foreign policy expert said. Evan A Feigenbaum, senior fellow for East, Central and South Asia, said these include the international trade regime and possibly some arms control treaties. "The challenge will be to manage these disagreements toward compromise," he said.

Proud to be nominated: First Indian-American envoy

Proud to be nominated: First Indian-American envoy

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2009

Colorado-based Indian American businessman Vinai Thummalapally, who raised funds for President Barack Obama's presidential campaign, on Wednesday said he was proud to be nominated as the first Indian American to serve as United States' envoy to Belize.Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the confirmation hearing, Obama's nominee to the Central American state said he would work to strengthen US interests in Belize, if confirmed.

Hillary seeks 'most wide-ranging talks' with India

Hillary seeks 'most wide-ranging talks' with India

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2009

When United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits India later this week, her engagement with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well as her counterpart S M Krishna will touch upon issues beyond the realm of traditional foreign policy matters.Clinton on Wednesday said that that the two countries will be engaging in a very broad and comprehensive dialogue, "the most wide-ranging that has ever been put on the table between India and the United States."

US Congress to mark Gandhi's birth anniversary

US Congress to mark Gandhi's birth anniversary

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2009

Ahead of Mahatma Gandhi's 140th birth anniversary in October, a resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to recognize Gandhi's 'visionary leadership that enhanced the rapidly deepening friendship between the United States and India.'

Indian envoy questions US stance on Indo-Iran ties

Indian envoy questions US stance on Indo-Iran ties

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2009

Meera Shankar, India's envoy to the United States, on Monday said there are 'double standards' in the US about the issue of India's ties with Iran.Shankar said that while it is true that India has relations with Teheran, there are American companies as well who have ties with some sectors in that country, through their local subsidiaries.

Obama not ignoring India, says top US official

Obama not ignoring India, says top US official

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2009

India is one of the key countries that will shape the 21st century, believes Robert D Blake, assistant secretary of state for south and central Asian affairs in the Barack Obama administration.Keynoting a conference titled 'Natural allies? US-Indian Relations in the Obama Era', organised by the Washington-based think tank American Enterprise Institute on Monday, Blake stressed that India's importance to the United States has not diminished.

Hillary visit will take ties to next level: Blake

Hillary visit will take ties to next level: Blake

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2009

Robert O Blake, the new Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, making his debut before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Thursday, said Secretary of State Hillary's Clinton's trip to India next month will be a tangible manifestation of the Obama Administration's commitment to take the Indo-US relationship to the next level.

UN honour for Gujarat government body

UN honour for Gujarat government body

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2009

Water and Sanitation Management Organization of Gujarat has been conferred the 2009 Public Service Award by the United Nations for 'fostering participation in policy-making decisions through innovative mechanisms' in the field of 'institutionalisation of community management' and users' level participation in the drinking water supply.

'Left's poll debacle in Bengal was long awaited'

'Left's poll debacle in Bengal was long awaited'

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2009

A young Congress leader from West Bengal says while the Trinamool Congress-Congress party alliance in recent parliamentary election was able to dislodge the Left's stranglehold, the same result could have been achieved even earlier, had the opposition remained united in the state.

Pak inches closer to receiving massive US aid

Pak inches closer to receiving massive US aid

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2009

Pakistan has moved one step closer to receiving massive American economic and military largesse -- reminiscent of the billions of dollars it received during the Reagan and George W Bush Administrations when military dictators Mohammad Zia-ul Haq and Pervez Musharraf respectively were in charge -- to the tune of $1.5 billion annually over five years, when the Senate-Lugar aid bill steamrolled through the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a vote of 16-0.

Sulabh International founder gets UN Award

Sulabh International founder gets UN Award

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2009

Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International that runs public toilets in India, was honored by the Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Organization at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday for developing low cost toilet technology to produce energy out of human excreta.

Obama appoints Vinai Thummalapally as Ambassador

Obama appoints Vinai Thummalapally as Ambassador

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2009

President Barack Obama has nominated his friend and former room-mate and major campaign fund-raiser Vinai Thummalapally of Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the next US Ambassador to Belize, the only country in Central America where English is the official language.

Obama wants to engage with India; sends PM letter

Obama wants to engage with India; sends PM letter

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2009

Richard Holbrooke, the United States Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, has asserted that the Obama administration "believes that what happens in Afghanistan and Pakistan is of vital interest to our national security and that India is a country that we must keep in the closest consultations with."

Ellen Tauscher is undersecretary of arms control

Ellen Tauscher is undersecretary of arms control

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2009

A nonproliferation hawk, who vehemently opposed the US-India civilian nuclear deal, former Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher will take over as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

ISI still linked to terror groups: US official

ISI still linked to terror groups: US official

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2009

Bruce Riedel, senior National Security Council official in the Clinton Administration, who spearheaded President Obama's strategic review on Afghanistan and Pakistan, told rediff.com that for all the Pakistani leadership assurances that the ISI has severed its links with terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the Taliban, the ISI's association with them is as entrenched as ever.

Why implementing N-deal is high on US agenda

Why implementing N-deal is high on US agenda

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2009

A major priority on the agenda of United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, William J Burns --- who will be the first senior US official to visit India after the Lok Sabha polls -- will be to begin discussions with senior Indian officials about operationalising the India-US civilian nuclear deal.US business and industry, which lobbied feverishly to push through the deal, have been urging the administration to move quickly on this front.