Two top United Stastes lawmakers have questioned Pakistan's "duplicative role" in the war against terror, blaming Inter-Services Intelligence for aiding extremists, particularly against India, while criticising the Obama administration's lack of assertiveness against Islamabad on the issue.
While the consensus seemingly among Barack Obama administration and US congressional lawmakers and several policy wonks who deal with South Asia at leading think tanks is that Pakistan meets all of the criteria to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, opinion is mixed among security experts if it would serve any purpose or be counter-productive.
The Communist Party of India Marxist on Saturday raised questions about the alleged presence of American Special Forces in India. The party pointed out that Commander of the US Pacific Command Admiral Robert Willard had stated at a Congressional hearing that American Special forces assist teams are stationed in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. But the ministry of external affairs and the ministry of defence have both denied his claims.
US lawmaker recalls the sad irony of hearing news about the massacre of innocent Sikh worshippers in Wisconsin while he was on his way to address concerns of the community regarding hate crimes at a gurdwara in Walnut, California.
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned Pakistan of "damaging consequences" over multi-billion gas pipeline with Iran, saying Islamabad could face sanctions if it went ahead with the ambitious project.
Two influential Congressional sub-committees will hold a joint hearing on Pakistan's commitment in the fight against terrorism
India depends on Iran for 12 per cent of its 80 per cent of imports of crude.
Getting ready to travel to the United States on a fellowship, blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng spoke to American lawmakers for the second time in a week and gave a detailed account of his alleged persecution and that of his family by Chinese authorities.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said Islamabad wants to have "excellent relations with the United States" and said both countries along with Kabul need to be "on the same page" in efforts aimed at boosting national reconciliation and stability in war-torn Afghanistan.
Top Pentagon leaders have warned US lawmakers against including their "pet projects" in the annual defence budget, particularly at a time when it is struggling to save money in view of the tough economic environment.
Obviously having gotten the green light from the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi that if they lobby the Speaker to address a joint session of Congress, which he has not been able to do despite his three visits to the US, the Congressmen informed Paul Ryan that 'It is our understanding that if invited, the prime minister would accept.'
The government on Monday said it has denied a recent assertion made by US Pacific Command Chief Admiral Robert Willard regarding the presence of United States special forces in India.
Acknowledging the "strain" in United States-Pakistan relationship, a top US intelligence official has said that the internal situation in Pakistan is "fraught" and will take some time to get back to normalcy.
The Indian Army, Apple, Nokia, RIM denied that they were involved in a conspiracy to spy on the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
The USCIS said this year it expects to receive more than 65,000 petitions.
Indian American Democrat Ro Khanna is still trailing against seven term incumbent Democrat Congressman Mike Honda in California's 17th Congressional District in the November 4 general election.
"I'm going to India next week and we're talking trade. They've been hitting us very hard for many, many years," Trump said at a 'Keep America Great' rally in Colorado on Thursday. Trump told thousands of his supporters that he "really likes" Prime Minister Modi and they would be talking business.
Floyd's death has triggered nationwide violent protests with a section of the protesters resorting to looting and rioting across the country, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
The debate over Prime Minister Modi's nixed Congressional address continues. Aziz Haniffa has the scoop
Gabbard is set to create history becoming the first Hindu ever to be elected to the US Congress in November, as there is virtually little opposition to her in a predominantly Democratic district.
The United States on Wednesday warned Pakistan of "damaging consequences" if it went ahead with the ambitious Iran-Pak gas pipeline, which would be against the global sanctions against Iran.
Deputy Secretary of State William Burns has echoed under secretary of state for political affairs Wendy Sherman's belief that Indians and Americans should consider themselves fortunate and thankful to have a diplomat in the caliber of Nirupama Rao in Washington, DC.
US Attorney General William Barr, to whom the report was delivered on Friday, told Congressional leaders that he may submit to them its summary 'as soon as this weekend'.
The deal was hailed by the White House as 'a significant expansion of (the) security relationship'.
Martin Luther King III, who is in India to trace his father Martin Luther King Junior's 'India Pilgrimage' 50 years ago, called on President Pratibha Patil on Monday.
A Congressional advisory panel has urged the Obama administration to adopt tougher approach towards China given the "aggressive" and "assertive" nature of Beijing's economic and military power in recent years.
Reflecting anger in the government, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon on Tuesday termed as "despicable" and "barbaric" the treatment meted out to India's Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade in New York.
In South Asia, the intelligence community assesses that the political and security situation in Afghanistan will almost certainly deteriorate through 2018.
Tiger Woods overtook Jack Nicklaus in second place on the all-time PGA Tour winners list when he captured the AT&T National tournament at the Congressional Country Club on Sunday.
In a 59-41 vote, 12 Republicans joined every Senate Democrat on Thursday in a rare move to block the president's effort to divert billions in funding to build his long-promised border wall without congressional approval.
Describing the improved Indo-Pak relationship in the region "a real game changer," the US has expressed satisfaction over the progress being made by the two neighbours on improving their bilateral trade and commercial ties.
Putting Pakistan on notice, a Republican-majority Congressional panel has cleared a key bill that would slap strict restrictions on the United States aid to Islamabad for not doing enough in the war against terrorism.
Just two days after Pakistan released Central Intelligence Agency contractor Rayamond Allen Davis, arrested in a double murder case, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed a certification to the Congress asserting that Islamabad is co-operating with the US in preventing and dismantling terror networks, congressional watchdog has said.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that it has reached the cap on Congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B work visas, the most sought after by Indian professionals.
'Washington senses that the anchor sheet of India's strategic autonomy lies in its longstanding partnership with Russia, which remains firm and immutable despite the changes in world politics in the post-Cold War era,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.<
'There is now a new paradigm and that is also somewhat begrudgingly recognised by China. They are not all that thrilled that we have come to all these agreements.'
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has written to House Speaker Paul Ryan, asking him to raise the issue of religious freedom in India during his meeting with PM Modi.
A United States Congressional report has said that Pakistan is home to a large number of militant outfits, which can be broadly divided into five groups, one of which is specifically targeted against India and Kashmir that gets the maximum support from the establishment.
Officials at a Congressional hearing cited last year's figure of 26 per cent denial to H1B visa applicants, that was the highest in recent years, and also pointed out instances where the visas were denied for flimsy reasons.
The biggest losers in the Sensex pack were M&M, ONGC, Vedanta, Tata Steel, L&T, HDFC, NTPC and Axis Bank, falling up to 3.04 per cent.
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