The Obama administration's point man for South Asia, United States Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake, tells rediff.com/India Abroad's Aziz Haniffa in this exclusive interview that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who co-chairs the second US-India Strategic Dialogue with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday
The Republican chairman of the house foreign affairs subcommittee on Asia, on Tuesday questioned the Obama administration's point man on South Asia on India's propensity to vote against the United States at the United Nations, ostensibly taking a swipe at President Obama's endorsement of India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
In an exclusive interview to Rediff.com, US Assistant Secretary of State Robert O Blake speaks about President Obama's trip to India, the recent US-India Strategic Dialogue and the fate of the nuclear liability bill.
The only Indian American lawmaker in the United States Congress, Dr Amerish 'Ami' Bera, on Tuesday made his debut as a member of a Congressional Committee that has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to South Asia.
'This is the first State visit in the Obama administration which is a signal of the importance we attach to our relations with India,' Robert Blake, US Assistant Secretary of South Asian Affairs, tells Aziz Haniffa.
Despite a strategic engagement that has brought the two countries into closer convergence, the US does not always expect India to toe its line and recognises New Delhi's strategic autonomy, a top official has said.
An uneasy calm prevailed on Saturday on the streets of Maldivian capital Male following days of protests and clashes in the wake of the resignation of the country's first democratically-elected President Mohamed Nasheed. Shops and businesses opened in the city on Saturday morning after remaining closed during the protests, which erupted four days ago. Areas around the Maldives National Defence Force headquarters as well as the police headquarters witnessed normal activity.
In perhaps what could be his swansong appearance as the Obama administration's point man for South Asia, Robert Blake has acknowledged that the impasse over the implementation of the US-India civilian nuclear deal poses many challenges to Washington and New Delhi.
The Obama administration's point man for South Asia, Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake has said that India is a role model for women's empowerment on the world stage.
The sizeable Indian investment flowing into the US is supporting thousands of jobs in this country, a senior US official has said, acknowledging the contribution of Indian money in creating employment during a tough economic environment.
While acknowledging the economic progress and the exponential growth in Gujarat, which has made it an attractive state for investment, United States Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake said that there has been no review on the issuance of a visa for Chief Minister Narendra Modi to travel to America.
The United States believes India has the required institutional capacity to become a global power and sees a growing strategic convergence between the two nations, a top administration official has said ahead of next week's India-US strategic dialogue.
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Indian American community's activism and energy has made India's caucus on Capitol Hill the most influential, says Robert Blake. Aziz Haniffa reports from Washington DC.
The 97th Academy Awards are live in Hollywood, California, and the biggest stars are looking even more glamorous on the red carpet.
As the center of geopolitics moves toward Asia, India plays a critical role in US strategy, says Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake. Aziz Haniffa reports.
"I don't think you heard anybody say that in the course of the President's three-day visit (to India), we're looking to counterbalance China in any way," Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, told journalists in New York and Washington during a digital video press conference.
A quick look at the winners of the 96th Annual Academy Awards.
In many ways, the United States and India are fulfilling our own destinies now, as we cooperate even more closely together.
Responding to the questions from Congressmen, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake said India is making progress in this regard not because of any pressure from the US, but because of "financial and commercial considerations".
The 81st Annual Golden Globes awards show saw Hollywood's swish set make a dazzling show on the red carpet.
India depends on Iran for 12 per cent of its 80 per cent of imports of crude.
United States' Assistant Secretary Robert Blake on Wednesday marked the beginning of the US-India Cabinet-level Strategic Dialogue in Washington, DC, and discussed bilateral ties and issues like counter- terrorism, education, agriculture, trade and climate change. In his opening message, Blake said that US President Barack Obama feels that it's very much in American strategic interests to help advance the growth of India on the world stage.
United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake will travel to Maldives for a first-hand assessment of the current political crisis in the island nation. "Assistant Secretary Blake has decided that he will add a stop in Male, capital of the Maldives, to his upcoming trip to the region. He will be there on Saturday, February 11, en route also to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as planned," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said.
One of India's closest friends in the United States Congress, Representative Gary Ackerman, New York Democrat, on Tuesday asked Obama administration's point man for South Asia Robert Blake, as to what would happen if after the nuclear disaster in Japan, India may decide to forego the US-India civilian nuclear deal and rely more heavily on Iran for its energy requirements.
Blake said, "What this visit will be remembered for is that it will mark really the first time that we have really embarked on serious, specific, global strategic cooperation in areas like open government, in areas like agriculture, or in women's empowerment, or in working together in Africa, working together in Afghanistan."
Stating that the United States has a strong interest in helping India in preventing terror attacks, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said the country wants to see improved relations between India and Pakistan.
The United States on Saturday said it will allow Indian investigators to interrogate David Headley, who has pleaded guilty to his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, but made it clear that he cannot be extradited to India.
Ambassador Robert Blake, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, on Tuesday said that the Indo-Pakistan ties would improve if the suspects of the Mumbai attack are tried and convicted by Islamabad.
The Obama administration's point man for South Asia, Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake has assured that there will be deliverables from the first US-India Strategic Dialogue that will be held in Washington, DC, on June 2-3.
The US has said that this is not the appropriate moment for India and Pakistan to hold discussions on the Kashmir issue, as they need to go for confidence building measures first.
The Assistant Secretary of State said trade and agriculture is a major pillar of Indo-US relationship.
The latest fan of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi seems to be the American Samoan delegate, Eni Faleomavaega, the ranking Democrat on the house foreign affairs subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, which has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to South Asia. Aziz Haniffa reports.
Top seed James Blake breezed through his opening match as sixth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber made an early exit from the $416,000 Delray Beach International on Tuesday.
In what could be yet another historic appointment in the annals of the Indian-American community's immigrant experience, senior administration sources have told rediff.com that Nisha Desai Biswal is strongly tipped to be appointed the new assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs
New Delhi will host the second tri-lateral dialogue with United States and Afghanistan next week, which among other things will focus on co-operation between the three countries post-2014 when the US forces are scheduled to hand over control for security operations to Afghan forces.
China's assistance to build new nuclear plants in Pakistan are "inconsistent" with its commitments to Nuclear Suppliers Group, a top United States official has said.
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